Experiences with the Schick test and active immunisation against diphtheria / S. Monckton Copeman [and others].

Date:
1922
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Experiences with the Schick test and active immunisation against diphtheria / S. Monckton Copeman [and others]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    EXPERIENCES WITH THE SCHICK TEST AND ACTIVE IMMUNISATION AGAINST DIPHTHERIA. . S. MONCKTON COPEMAN, M.D., F.R.S., Ministry of Health, AND R. A. O’BRIEN, M.D., A. J. EAGLETON, M.E.C.P., and A. T. GLENNY, B.Sc. Wellcome Physiological Research Laboratories, Herne Hill, London. Received for publication December 7th, 1921. After a preliminary investigation into the value of the Schick test and active immunisation against diphtheria (Copeman, 1921), the Ministry of Health instituted a more extensive test at the Mitcham Poor-Law Schools with the consent of the Guardians. In the present paper the immunological results are described. r The Mitcham schools contain a resident population of rather over 300 children between the ages of three and sixteen years. All, until quite recently, not only lived, but received their education, in one or other of the three adjoining institutions. The weekly rate of admission and discharge is small, and the population is thus a very stable one. Prior to November, 1920, these schools had been practically free from infectious disease, but since then they have been affected with scarlet fever and diphtheria almost continuously. No case of diphtheria has, however, been notified since August 4th, 1921. The general scheme of work included a routine swabbing of all children and testing the bacilli isolated for virulence. The Schick test was applied in every case and the positives immunised with toxin-antitoxin mixtures, the effect of this being judged by re-testing by Schick’s method at a later date. BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATION* All the children in the school and annexed infirmary, numbering 329, were swabbed on two separate occasions. The first set of swabs, hereinafter referred to as Series I, was taken eight weeks before the second set, called Series II. Children found on either occasion to be harbouring bacilli morpho¬ logically resembling B. diphtheria were re-swabbed until three consecutive negatives were obtained. # The whole of the technical work was planned and carried out by the staff of the Wellcome Physiological Research Laboratories, the bacteriology being done by one of ns (A. J.E.),Dr. Okelland Miss Baxter, the examination of the blood samples for antitoxin and the control and testing of the Schick toxin and toxin-antitoxin mixtures by A. T. Gf. and Miss Allen, the Schick testing and the inoculations with toxin-antitoxin mixtures by R. A. O’B. i
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