大象传媒

In 1942 when I was seven we children were immunised against Diptheria. In later years I discovered that the area in which I lived was classified as a slum and possibly we were on the top of the list for this action.

The immunisation consisted of three injections at intervals of, I think, a week. Soon I went down with the disease and I remember very clearly being taken into hospital on my birthday September 28th. My mother considered it likely that a fault in the vaccine was responsible. For seven days I appeared on the dangerously ill list published in the local newspaper (I heard this from my mother later.) During this period no food or water, nourishment by means of a drip feed. Although I cannot recall pain I do remember being continually thirsty and having to settle for a passing nurse moistening my lips.

For the period that I was in the Fever Hospital visiting was 30 minutes a week, my mother came to a closed window at the end of the ward and my bed was wheeled into place by it.

At some stage of my six month stay in hospital York was subjected to a heavy air raid and the practice was then to place all of us children who were bedridden on the floor under the bed so as to protect us against falling debris.

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