DIPTHERIA IMMUNISATION

Chronicle (Levin), 16 July 1947, Page 4

DIPTHERIA IMMUNISATION

v DR. T. C. LONIE TELLS PLUNKET ; SOCIETY IT'S VALUE "Immunology really means the story of how disease is prevented from attacking people, and how they are protected," said Dr. T. C. Lonie, medical officer of health i'n: an address on the immunisation of children against • diptheria, whichhe gave to Monday night's annual' meefing of the Levin, Plunket Society. "The bacteria that cause diptheria are very common, and a lot of people carry them in their throats and noses," he continued. "These people do not get diphtheria because they are immune. The diphtheria bacteria produce drops of poison which are called toxins. These toxins may be .compared with enemy soldiers who are attacking the body. They can only be prevented from this purpose by the anti-toxins, which are the soldiers protecting the body. If the body does not have antitoxins, such as often happens in young children, and the diphtheria bacteria are allowed to remain in the tonsils or nose, then the disease will set in." Dr. Lonie went on to explain the symptons of diphtheria. "First of all," he said, "the tonsils get inflamed and sore. Then the toxins in the blood get all over the body and the patient gets siGk. The toxins' cut the nerves going to th'e muscles and the heart in much the same way as enemy soldiers would cut the communication lines of a city. This may produce paralysis of muscles of the leg or arm; very often the muscles of the heart; the breathing muscles are often upset, and the

muscles of the soft palate i'n the mouth are affected so that the patient cannot swallow properly. When he or she tries to swallow a glass of water for instance, all the water doesn't go down, but part comes back through0 the nose and if noJ"hir.g is done, and done quickly, the patient may die." Dr. Lonie then explained how a eure was brought about. "The body takes a long time to produce its defences, the anti-toxins, so it is not safe to expect the body to cure itself. A doctor must be sent for right away. Sore thro'at, temperature and especially a'ny little grey or white patches on the tonsils are the danger signs for diphtheria. "The doctor can find out if the pptient' has diphtheria and if so, will inject an anti-toxin to meet - the aUack. This is not - the best way to deal with diphtheria. An j anii-toxin is not always available, while the injected anti-toxins are like all hired soldiers, they do not last long. They are only useful to meet an emergency. The emergencies are, firstly, when one contr&ets diphtheria, and, secondly,' to proteet immediate contacts of the case for a short time. "However, the body must be taught to defend itself," said Dr. Lonie. "This is done by addfng formalin or alum to the diptheria toxin, which has the effect of disarming it, and injecting the resulting formula (called toxide) into the' children when they are young. This deceives the body into believing that it is being attacked, and it immediately starts to make its own anti-toxin, which, after another two doses, will proteet the child for most of its life." Dr. Lonie went on to explain the necessity of having .the child immunised before it was twelve months old.- "Older children and adults are too sensitive to the material which is used; They tend to get sore arms and perhaps a general reaction temperature, etc., for a few days. But if they are exposed to diphtheria, such as at school, then it is better to give them the injections, spreading them out in smaller doses., -h "In very young children • th'4ireactions are verv few. Of course... every care is taken by the doctor that eve^ything is as sterile as possible. All our syringes are boiled and a new needle is used for each child." Is the immunisation 100 per eent, effective? Dr. Lonie quoted an extract from a recent report. of the chief medical officer of the English Ministry of Health. "Estimating the child population under 15 years to be eight and a-quarter millions, it has been shown that out of every five children suffering from diptheria during the years 1942, 1943 and 1944, four were children who had not been immunised, and of every 30 deaths 29 were of unimmunised children, although , the tatai populations of immunis- ! ed and non-immunised children at risk were roughly equal. The evidenee, therefore, that immunisation is a protection against infection and death is plain. "This proves conclusively the necessity for immunising the children against diphtheria,"' concluded Dr. Lonie.