H.—3l

The Moloney Test and Anatoxin Sensitivity. Eight thousand one hundred and forty-one children were Moloney tested. Reactions were graded as follows : — -f = area of erythema up to 10 m.m. diameter with no induration. _ area of erythema more than 10 m.m. with slight central induration. — area of erythema of 40 m.m. and more, with definite palpable induration. All ++ + reactors were not given anatoxin. + -f- reactors received an initial dose of 0-25 c.c. anatoxin, unless they showed more than slight degree induration, when they were rejected. Induration seemed a more reliable guide than erythema as regards eliminating those liable to have reaction to anatoxin. In 1937, of 4,945 Moloney tested, 247, or 5 per cent., were rejected as +++ reactors. In 1938, of 3,196 children tested, 131, or 4 per cent., gave ++ + reactions and were not immunized. The sensitivity to anatoxin increases steadily with age, the figures being given in the table, and demonstrated in the accompanying graph.

Anatoxin Sensitivity, 1938.

DIPHTHERIA SUSCEPTIBILITY AND ANATOXIN SENSITIVITY

A quarter of the children tested in 1938 showed sensitivity to anatoxin. Ihe severe and immunization eliminating ++ + reacting exists in less than 1 per cent, at age five years, rising steadily to over 16 per cent, at age sixteen years.

16— H. 31.

115

Reactions. Number r + + + Percent " Total. Pereent " A g p " Tested. Percent- , , Percent- ' age. age. + age. |j +i ~ age. 5 240 28 11-9 11 4-5 1 0-4 40 16-6 a " 306 47 15-3 10 3-2 7 2-2 64 20-9 7 .. 349 48 13-7 9 2-5 5 1-4 62 17-7 a " 366 46 12-5 19 5-1 10 2-7 75 20-4 q ., 344 41 11*9 32 9*3 11 3-1 84 24-4 10 .. 1! 396 53 13-3 38 9-5 16 4-0 107 27-0 jl ., 348 65 18-6 36 10-3 13 3-7 114 32-7 12 " ' ■ 336 47 13-9 35 10-4 23 6-8 105 31-2 13 " 275 38 13-8 32 11-6 21 7-6 91 33-0 14 " 161 18 11-1 18 1M 16 9-9 52 32-2 15 " " 51 9 17-6 4 7-8 4 7-8 17 33-3 " '.'.24 0 — 2 8-3 4 16-6 6 25-0 3 196 440 13-7 246 7-6 [ 131 4-0 817 | 25-5 --——i,