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 1970
[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 diptheria, whooping cough, measles, poliomyelitis, tetanus and rubella:—
| Disease against which protection given | Number of primary courses given | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year of Birth | Others under 16 years | Total | |||||
| 1970 | 1969 | 1968 | 1967 | 1963/66 | |||
| Diphtheria | 63 | 1445 | 354 | 22 | 66 | 8 | 1958 |
| Whooping Cough | 63 | 1443 | 353 | 20 | 26 | 3 | 1908 |
| Poliomyelitis (Oral) | 71 | 1420 | 378 | 23 | 62 | 12 | 1966 |
| Tetanus | 63 | 1445 | 355 | 22 | 68 | 38 | 1991 |
| Measles | 7 | 605 | 624 | 389 | 652 | 102 | 2379 |
| Rubella | — | — | — | — | — | 293 | 293 |
Below are given the percentages of children, born in 1968, who
had been given protection against whooping cough, diphtheria and
poliomyelitis by the end of 1970. The figure in brackets is the corresponding
percentage for England and Wales:—
Whooping cough 81 (79)
Diphtheria 81 (81)
Poliomyelitis 79 (79)
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 die
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 2,773
Whooping cough 926
Poliomyelitis 2,691
Tetanus 2,821
Poliomyelitis
At the end of the year, 91,326 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 1943-70 63,239
Persons born 1933-42 15,791
Others 12,296
Total 91,326
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