Summary: Second World War British Ministry of Information newsreel trailer warning mothers of the deadly consequences of their child contracting diphtheria and stressing the need for immunisation.
Description: The film opens with a close up of cartoon nursery rhyme characters on wall freeze in a child's bedroom with a loudly ticking pendulum wall clock and the commentary "Every 20 minutes a child is taken ill with diphtheria. Every 3 hours a child dies from diphtheria. Mother, do you realise what an unprotected child will suffer if diphtheria strikes?" Photograph of a healthy young girl. The film cuts to an animated drawing of the prone body of a young girl. The commentary explains that the diphtheria germs attack the mouth and nose and produce sores and details the progress of the illness explaining that the "deadly poison" spreads to the central nervous system, kidney and heart and "once the disease has reached this stage the child is sure to die". The commentary also explains that when immunised the child is "armed with a strong protective force" which overwhelms and destroys the diphtheria germs before they can make their poison. A photograph of the same healthy young girl surrounded by protective rings. The commentary concludes "The powerful protection of immunisation defeats diphtheria. Mother have you forgotten to protect your child?" Accompanied by the sound of an ever louder ticking clock the film closes with captions HAVE YOUR CHILD IMMUNISED AT ONCE! ASK AT THE COUNCIL OFFICES.
Production Details: Ministry of Health (Production sponsor)
Ministry of Information (Production sponsor)
W M Larkins and Company (Production company)
Larkins, W M (Production individual)
Personalities, Units and Organisations:
Keywords:
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Sound
Soundtrack language: English
Title language: English
Technical Details: Format: 35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 124ft; Running time: 1 min 20 secs
