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National Insurance Act, 1946.—From time to time it is
necessary for the Medical Officer of Health to insist that a suspected
'carrier' of, or a person in contact with, an infectious disease
should be precluded from working in order that the risk of transmission
of the disease is minimised. This is especially necessary
when the person concerned is a 'food handler.'
Regulation 3 (b) of the National Insurance (Unemployment
and Sickness Benefit) Regulations, 1948, made under the above
Act, enables any person so excluded to claim sickness benefit on
production of a certificate issued by the Medical Officer of Health.
In the Ministry of Health Circular 115/48 it has been suggested
that the Medical Officer of Health should be prepared to furnish
such a certificate if, in his opinion, circumstances are such that
this action becomes necessary.
During the current year 2 certificates were so issued.
Smallpox.—There were no cases notified during the year but
a number of contacts were reported arriving in the Borough from
abroad and these were kept under observation for the requisite
period.
Public Health (Smallpox Prevention) Regulations, 1917.—These
Regulations give a Medical Officer of Health power to vaccinate or
re-vaccinate, without charge, any contacts of a case of Smallpox
willing to submit themselves for treatment.
It will be recalled that at the close of 1950 and in the early
part of 1951 there had been an outbreak of Smallpox at Brighton.
An R.A.F. Officer on leave from India became ill the day after
landing in England when on his way to Brighton; here he took to
his bed and had medical treatment for a supposed recurrence of
Malaria. It transpired that, in fact, he had a modified form of
Smallpox.
Arising from this incident 29 cases of Smallpox were finally
confirmed, 10 of which proved fatal: of the 10 fatal cases 7 occurred
in unvaccinated persons, the remaining three had been vaccinated
in infancy.
As a direct result of this outbreak 28 vaccinations were carried
out on request by your Medical Officer of Health.
Smallpox is one of the most dangerous and disfiguring of diseases
and this is an opportune moment to emphasise the need for
vaccination.
Free State vaccination became available in 1840 and prior to
he introduction of compulsory vaccination of children in 1853