[Report 1962] / Principal School Medical Officer of Health, Warwickshire County Council.

  • Warwickshire (England). County Council.
Date:
1962
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1962] / Principal School Medical Officer of Health, Warwickshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    7/28 (page 5)
    children had a permanent tooth by then too decayed to be saved. Much of this decay is brought about by over indulgence in sweets and other fermentable carbohydrate foods, particularly when taken between main meals. It has been known for many years that fluoride salts incorporated in the tooth enamel can provide a considerable degree of protection. More recently, it has been demonstrated that there is the greatest protection on the least accessible surfaces of the teeth and in all cases a retarding of the destruction of the tooth even when decay has started. This enables the dental surgeon to make sound restorations without undue loss of natural tooth substance. Some areas in the British Isles are fortunate enough to have a natural water supply containing sufficient fluorides to provide protection, and where this has been enjoyed from birth the mouths of children and adolescents are remarkable for their freedom from decayed and irregular teeth. Although fluorides assist in preventing decay, it is also important to provide foods which by their mechanical action clean the teeth, and to discourage the consumption of ferment¬ able foodstuffs, particularly between meals. 11. Prophylactic Immunisation and Vaccination of Schoolchildren. (a) Smallpox Vaccination. Smallpox vaccination in children of school age showed a considerable rise during the year due to the 1961/62 smallpox outbreak. In the five to fourteen age-group, 14,276 children were primarily vaccinated, whilst a further 11,555 were re-vaccinated. This compared with about 500 primary and re-vaccinations carried out in a normal year. One child was reported with generalised vaccina (a re-vaccinated case) and another with post-vaccinal encephalomye¬ litis (a primary case). No case of smallpox occurred in a child, but there was an adult case who was quickly removed to hospital. All contacts were immediately ascertained and appro¬ priately treated. Whilst smallpox is still endemic in certain parts of the world, it is essential to maintain a high level of vaccination and thereby avoid the panic problem when a case occurs in this country. All mothers are encouraged to have their children primarily vaccinated between eleven and twelve months of age, and to follow this up with re-vaccination routinely at school entry, between eight and nine years and ten to fifteen years. (b) Poliomyelitis Vaccination. The County again remained free from poliomyelitis during the year, although small outbreaks still occurred elsewhere in England and Wales. Just over 80% of the children in the five to fourteen age-group had received three doses of vaccine by the end of the year. Well over two-thirds of these had also received their fourth dose, which is only undertaken if twelve months have elapsed since the third dose. Sabin vaccine is now in general use and has the great advantage of being taken by mouth. This type of vaccine is quite safe, and even more effective than the injected vaccine. Many children who received their first doses with Salk injected vaccine completed their courses with the Sabin oral vaccine. (c) Diphtheria and Tetanus Immunisation. During the school years it is most important that a child receives reinforcing doses against diphtheria and tetanus (following primary immunisation in early childhood). These reinforcing doses are desirable at school entry and again at eight to nine years of age, and the present immunisation programme caters for these to be done routinely on the consent of the parent. Primary diphtheria immunisation in children is reasonably high and no case of this disease has occurred in the County since 1951. Immunisation against tetanus became available in 1960, and a reasonable level of immunity is now being built up in the pre-school child. Cases of tetanus do still occur, but as the disease is not notifiable, total numbers are unknown. During 1962, 6,394 schoolchildren received reinforcing doses against diphtheria, whilst 1,923 received reinforcing doses against tetanus.