London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Merton 1968
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Merton]
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PROPHYLACTIC MEASURES
The table below gives details of initial protection given by the use of prophylactics against diphtheria, smallpox, whooping cough, poliomyelitis and tetanus:—
| Disease against which protection given | Number of primary courses given | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year of Birth | Others under 16 years | Total | |||||
| 1968 | 1967 | 1966 | 1965 | 1961/64 | |||
| Diphtheria | 860 | 1,356 | 79 | 49 | 78 | 37 | 2,459 |
| Whooping Cough | 860 | 1,353 | 75 | 47 | 55 | 8 | 2,398 |
| Poliomyelitis (Oral) | 854 | 1,352 | 121 | 52 | 110 | 34 | 2,523 |
| Tetanus | 860 | 1,356 | 79 | 49 | 79 | 180 | 2,603 |
| Measles | 6 | 182 | 284 | 276 | 1,358 | 53 | 2,159 |
The continuing need for immunisation and vaccination is brought
home to the public at large by the use of leaflets, posters and displays,
and by the teaching of the Health Visitors at the clinics and in the
course of their district visits.
Reinforcement Measures
In addition to the above measures of primary protection the
following numbers were given re-inforcement doses:—
Diphtheria 4,791
Whooping Cough 1,748
Poliomyelitis 3,017
Tetanus 4,430
Poliomyelitis
At the end of the year, 88,279 persons had completed a full
course of immunisation since the scheme began in 1956. The age
distribution of these completed cases is given below:—
Persons born 1943-68 60,192
Persons born 1933-42 15,791
Others 12,296
Total 88,279
Fourth Injection
At the end of the year 24,612 children, aged not less than five
years and not more than 13 years, had received a fourth dose either by
injection or by the oral method.
Smallpox
The following table shows the number of persons vaccinated
or re-vaccinated against smallpox, in the various age groups, during the
year:—
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