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75
Whooping Cough Vaccination Trials.
An intensive investigation into the value of whooping cough
vaccines in this and other districts, carried out by the Medical
Research Council at the request of the Ministry of Health, has shown
that the disease can be prevented or modified by the use of suitably
prepared vaccines.
At the beginning of 1951 new trials began in Tottenham to assess
the potency of various types of vaccine and the parents of children
between six months and four years of age who had not already had
whooping cough or been inoculated against it were invited to let
their children take part in the trials. The main difference between
this and earlier trials is that all children now receive a
whooping cough vaccine and there is no "control" uninoculated
group.
The inoculations are given at infant welfare clinics by the
area medical staff and the follow-up in the children's homes is
done by a health visitor employed by the Medical Research Council.
The trials have worked smoothly during the year and a total
of 1,084 children were inoculated.
The County Council has now agreed to make available free
whooping cough vaccination at all immunisation clinics in the Area.
This will meet the increasing demand made by the public following
the interest stimulated by the local trials.
PREVENTION OF ILLNESS, CARE AND AFTER-CARE
(SECTION 28)
(a) Recuperative Holiday Homes.
During the year, area health staffs were made responsible
for dealing with applications for admission to recuperative holiday
homes under the above section of the National Health Service Act.
The scheme covers adult patients of any age, children under 5 and
children of school age attending private schools who are recommended
for admission to a recuperative holiday home for a short period of
rest. Applications are received from hospitals, general practitioners
and voluntary organisations and involve the medical, health
visiting and administrative staff.