[Report 1951] / School Medical Officer of Health, Manchester.
- Manchester (England). Council.
- Date:
- 1951
Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Credit: [Report 1951] / School Medical Officer of Health, Manchester. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![Miss Sloan, a part-time lecturer at the Manchester School of Chiropody anc Foot Hospital, was appointed. During 1951, the first complete year since the inauguration of the scheme] immunisation against diphtheria was made available to all pupils at a routint medical inspection in each school. Nearly one third of the school populatioi volunteered and were given either primary immunisation or a booster dosel This is a very satisfactory figure, and does not indicate a poor acceptanc/ rate since many of the children were not eligible. The results of immunisatioi are now becoming increasingly obvious and there were no deaths frot diphtheria during the year, an immunity enjoyed by 70 of the 83 Count;! Boroughs in England. A vigorously pursued immunisation programmf may soon free the country entirely from this once dreaded disease. There were one or two small outbreaks of a minor form of food poisoninj attributable to school meals, but otherwise there was a lower incidence o| infectious diseases generaUy. In dealing with such matters, the ascertainment of handicapped childre] who attained their second birthday during the year, and many other problei related to public health generally, a close contact has been maintained witl the City’s Health Department, whose staff have always shown the greatea willingness to assist in every way. During the year, the B.C.G. trials scheme got well under way, and thre groups of school leavers were dealt with. Over 6,000 pupils were eligib] and of these 64% volunteered and 50% were finally selected for the trij Any child with a doubtful X-ray was excluded and referred for furthd investigation to the Chest Clinic. The final number was rather less than wJ originally anticipated by the Medical Research Council, and it is therefoj intended to examine a further number of groups during next year. T1 “ follow-up ” of the first group of pupils taking part started in Decembt and this necessitated over 1,400 additional home visits by the school nursii staff. Mass Miniature Radiography examination was again available to all schol leavers, except those from secondary modern schools, and it was hop([ that they would be X-rayed as volunteers in the B.C.G. trials. Next yej it is proposed to stagger the dates of the two schemes, so that all schol leavers, including those not entering the vaccine trial, will be offered X-ray at the School Mass Radiography Centre. It is interesting to nc that in this year’s survey, thirt}-six boys and girls, or 2% of those examine had to be X-rayed a second time on a larger film, and of those, twenty- required a fuller clinical examination. Thirteen of this latter number we considered to need further observation at the Chest Clinic, and two we subsequently diagnosed as suffering from active lung tuberculosis. T1 will no doubt soon recover under appropriate treatment, and seriol permanent damage be prevented. The contribution to this report by the Ear, Nose and Throat Consults reveals a pleasing reduction in the waiting list for operations, particulaJ for the removal of unhealthy tonsils and adenoids. This has been mail due to two factors : firstly, the opening of another centre for operaticl upon children living on the south side of the city and, secondly, the fact til PP Hot fiitij llki ■Hi skci I'fiiiit [iidei ledi](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b29927870_0004.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
