SCHOOL HEALTH.

Wairarapa Age, 31 July 1925, Page 5

SCHOOL HEALTH.

DIPHTHERIA INOCULATION. A new departure in school hygiene Was inaugurated at Martinborough District High School on Wednesday, when more than half of the pupils Received the first of three inoculations against diphtheria. The work was carried out by Dr. W. B. Mercer, of the Health Department, and Dr. Helen Bakewell, School Medical Officer. The use of prophylactic treatment against diphtheria is quite voluntary. In the first place parents receive forms on which they are asked to signify their consent to their children being inoculated. Without such no child is treated. The treatcomprises three inoculations at intervals of a week. The parents of about half the pupils signed the forms of consent, and a good number more came forward when the work started, their parents, though quite Willing, having failed to fill in the forms. There is no reaction after the inoculation and no discomfort to the child. New Zealand is considerably behind Australia and Great Britain, but the Dominion thereby reaps the advantage of their experience. It is believed that the vaccine used gives adequate protection against the disease. It is prepared at Melbourne, which has the best laboratory south of the Line. It is from this source that the New Zealand Health Departjment obtains its sera. Experience shows that the most Susceptible age for diphtheria infection is from two to eight years. Diphtheria comes in cycles of five to “■Seven years. To-day it is at a very low point, and the Department considers it an opportune time, therefore, to inoculate so as to give immunity against the next increase. ' There was recently a slight outbreak at Martinborough. The Department hopes within the next month or two to do the children in the Carterton and Masterton schools . The co-operation of school masters will be enlisted and the neces- • sary forms of consent will be distributed to parents at an early date.