View report page

The foregoing tables show dearly the immunisation work
done during the year. It will be seen that 865 children under
5 years were immunised during the year. Of this number 806
were immunised in the Council's clinics. This figure is an
improvement on last year's figure of 515, but none the less it
is hoped that the 1946 figure will show a further improvement.
There were 1,150 births in 1944 and therefore some 1,150
babies arrived at the age of 1 year some time or other during
1945 and should have been immunised. Until the number of
immunisations approaches more nearly to the previous year's
births it cannot be regarded as satisfactory. It has been the
practice to immunise about the end of the first year and at
all events as soon after the first birthday as possible. It will
be seen in the table showing the age distribution of immunised
children that there were only four children who were
immunised in the under 1 year age group. Modern opinion on
immunological practice is in favour of earlier immunisation
and at the time of writing this report steps are being taken to
secure earlier protection against Diphtheria. In another part
of this report a death from Diphtheria is recorded of a child
thirteen months of age. To have secured immunity this infant
would have had to receive his first injection at something like
ten months of age and his second not later than eleven months
of age. While the mortality in this age group is relatively
small, in view of the present trend of expert opinion that
immunisation can be effectively carried out before one year
old, we are now endeavouring to secure earlier immunisation.
56