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27
Infective Diseases.
Six children who have received at least three immunising
injections at the Centres have developed Diphtheria. As will
be seen from the particulars given below the attack in at least
four of the cases was a mild one. All of them recovered.
In cases Nos. 1 and 3 the attack of Diphtheria occurred before
immunity had developed. In case No. 2, although the retest
was negative a few days before the illness, immunity had
taken some nine months to develop, and the attack of Diphtheria
was so slight as to be almost negligible. In case No. 4, the attack
was a severe one and occurred 2 years after the immunising injections
had been given in a child who had not been re-tested.
In the other two cases the attack of Diphtheria developed more
than two years after the children had been immunised and had
re-acted negative to the re-Schick Test.
Case No. 1.—A girl of 13—Schick Test positive—
received three doses of Toxoid Anti-toxin mixture at weekly
intervals—developed Diphtheria 2½ months after the last
dose—this was a clinical case and the specific organism
was found on culture—the attack was a mild one—no
re-Schick Test was performed.
This child developed Diphtheria during the interval
required after immunisation for immunity to develop.
Case No. 2.—A boy of 6—Schick Test positive—
received three doses of Toxoid Anti-toxin mixture—reSchick
Test positive five months and negative nine months
after the last dose—Diphtheritic membrane and virulent
Klebs-Lœffler bacilli found in the throat 16 days after the
last re-test was carried out—the child was ill for only one
day.
Case No. 3.—A girl of 7—Schick Test positive—received
three doses of Toxoid Anti-toxin mixture—developed
Diphtheria five months and nine days after the last dose—
membrane present and virulent organisms on culture
—re-Schick Test performed on same day as admitted
to hospital was positive—the attack was only a slight
one—has not attended for further re-test.