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 static shot of a loudly ticking pendulum wall clock with the commentary "Every 15 minutes a child is taken ill with diphtheria. Every 5 hours a child dies from diphtheria. Last year 51,163 people, mostly children were attacked". Brief shot of young children running along a woodland path. "Mother, do you realise what an unprotected child will suffer if diphtheria strikes?". The film cuts to an animated drawing of the head and body of a young girl. The commentary explains that the diphtheria germs attack the mouth and nose and produce sores. The cartoon drawing changes to reveal the child's skeleton and some internal organs. The commentary continues to chart the progression 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". Using the same animation the commentary explains that when a child is immunised "a powerful protective force awaits the entry of the diphtheria germ and before they can entrench themselves and spread their fatal poison, they are attacked, weakened and often totally destroyed". The commentary makes an urgent appeal "Mother have you forgotten to protect your child?" followed by a repeat shot of the children running along the woodland path. Accompanied by the sound of an ever louder ticking clock the film closes with captions HAVE YOUR CHILD IMMUNISED. HAVE YOUR CHILD IMMUNISED AT ONCE. ASK ABOUT IT AT YOUR SCHOOL, CLINIC OR COUNCIL OFFICES.
Alternative Title:DIPHTHERIA 4 [Alternative Title]
Colour:B&W
Digitised:Yes
Object_Number:NPB 13124
Sound:Sound
Access Conditions:IWM
Film: IWM (NPB 13124)
Featured Period:1939-1945
Production Date:1943-1943
Production Country:GB
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:35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 132 ft; Running time: 1 min 20 secs
