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52
Smallpox
No cases occurred during 1970, but in accordance with the
usual arrangements it was necessary for a number of travellers
from overseas who had been possible contacts of the infection to
be kept under surveillance. Information regarding these contacts
was received from the Port Health Authorities.
The Department was called upon to authenticate the signature
of the Doctor on 7,342 International Certificates of Vaccination
during the year, the figure for 1969 being 6,813.
Tetanus
There was no case of Tetanus notified during the year.
Tuberculosis
The decline in new cases which has been such a feature of
recent years continued and the number of notifications received
was 44 compared with 50 during the previous year.
Special preventive measures are sometimes necessary when
cases of the illness occur in schools or similar communities and
I am greatly indebted to the Consultant Chest Physician, Dr.
E. W. Street, and his colleagues for their very helpful expert advice
in connection with these problems.
The mass x-ray units, under the auspices of the S.E. Metropolitan
Regional Hospital Board, paid regular visits to different
sites in the Borough and continued to play an important part in
combatting the infection.
The total number of cases on the Register showed a further
decline during the year from 2,823 to 2,728. There were 9 deaths
attributed to the disease compared with 6 in 1969.