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26 Report of the Medical Officer of Health for 1930.
to be negative after only one or two injections. These were
cases who for some reason were unable to complete the three injections
at once but came after an interval and were then retested
to see if by chance they had become immunised. Seventy
seven persons required a second series of injections before a
negative re-test was obtained.
It will be noticed from this Table that the time taken to produce
immunity varies very much. Much of this variation is due
to delay on the part of the person concerned in attending for
the re-test to be performed. Some of it is due to actual delay
in the production of immunity as shown by one or more positive
results to the re-test before the final negative result is obtained.
Of the 1,272 persons who have been protected at the Clinics,
555 obtained that protection within four months after the last
injection had been given. 885 were protected within six months.
There is little doubt that a proportion of the remainder, in whom
the period required was longer than six months, would have been
found protected if they had attended earlier to be re-tested.
In addition to these 1,272 persons who have been protected,
142 have completed the first series of injections but cannot yet
be recorded as protected as the last re-Schick Test performed
was positive. Sixty-three of them have not attended since the
re-test, while in 79 a second series of injections was given. Of
these 79, 70 have not attended to be retested, while nine of them
still gave a positive re-test after the second series. Five of these
nine have been given a third series of injections.
A further 681 persons were given immunising injections at
the Clinics, but the value of these cannot be determined as they
have not attended to be re-tested. This number includes 571
who completed the first series of three injections and 110 who
only received one or two injections.
A further 21 susceptible persons have not yet commenced
the course of injections.
Diphtheria Following Immunising Injections:— Owing
to the fact that immunity does not develop at once it is important
to remember that a child may develop Diphtheria during the
period which elapses between the administration of the immunising