London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Greenwich 1909

The annual report made to the Council of the Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich for the year 1909

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(5) After 20 or 30 years, the protection has faded very
greatly, and such persons may suffer from severe Small-pox, even
though vaccinated in infancy.
(6) It is necessary, then, to avoid risk of Small-pox, to repeat
vaccination after 10 years of age. This revaccination renews the
protection, and is generally sufficient, except for doctors and
nurses, who, being much exposed, are wise to renew their protection,
and so make certain, every few years. After a second
vaccination it rarely produces a bad arm.
(7) Persons are not protected until the vaccination produces
its constitutional symptoms at the end of about eight days.
(8) Hence, because a person of 30 or 40, who has been
-vaccinated in infancy, dies of Small-pox, it is no argument against
the protection of a recent vaccination; it simply shows that he
has neglected to renew the temporary protection conferred by
infant vaccination, which is sure to fade with advancing years.
(9) Again, if a person is exposed to Small-pox for six days and
is then vaccinated, the Small-pox will show itself in six more days,
before the vaccination has had time (eight days) to fully protect
the constitution ; this, then, is no argument against vaccination,
but it is strong argument against delay in securing revaccination
until it may be too late. Even in such a case, the late vaccination
will control the severity of the attack, and there is a vast
difference between a very mild case involving no danger to life
and a severe case such as occurs in the unprotected.
(10) Persons who have secured the renewed constitutional
protection of revaccination before being exposed to Small-pox, run