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16
Smallpox
Four persons were referred by family practitioners to the Medical Officer of Health
or his Deputy as suffering from rashes of a type where it was desirable to exclude smallpox
as a possible cause Three were confirmed as cases of chickenpox and the fourth was finally
considered to be a staphylococcal eruption of the face One of those reported as a suspect
was a young man of Pakistani origin and although he was definitely diagnosed as a case of
chickenpox, he was admitted to hospital since he was living in lodgings and no satisfactory
attendance could be arranged for him at home for his period of sickness
Information was received in the latter part of the year of a visitor to this country
who arrived at London Airport having travelled from Singapore Two days after his arrival
he attended the Casualty Department of a London Teaching Hospital on account of a slight
rash. He was diagnosed as a case of modified smallpox and removed to the special isolation
hospital Although this person did not visit Islington he had been seen by a medical student
resident in this Borough and six other Islington residents were found to have been attending
the Casualty Department at or about the same time as the smallpox case All contacts were
kept under observation for the period of quarantine, and fortunately there were no further
cases arising. These contacts, however necessitated 65 domiciliary visits by various members
of the staff, including the Deputy Medical Officer of Health
Visits were also paid to another contact of a suspect case in another Borough who was
subsequently diagnosed as chickenpox.
Surveillance of contacts included arrangements for their vaccination and liaison with
the Divisional Health Office of the London County Council family practitioners and Medical
Officers of Health of other local authorities, where appropriate

(Figures kindly furnished by Divisional Medical Officer, London
County Council.)
* Including Be-vaccinations
# Group Sessions for Schoolchildren discontinued
The Vaccination Acts were rescinded under the National Health Service Act, 1946. as
from 5th July, 1948.