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approximately 9/10ths of Smallpox victims were children under 5
years of age.
In the epidemics subsequent to compulsory vaccination the
children, by and large, escaped; since 1898, however, when the
"conscientious objection" clause made its appearance, vaccination
has declined steeply. In 1948 vaccination became optional and
from that time the position shows a further deterioration.
Today, although every precaution is taken at seaports and
airports, infected persons do occasionally slip through, but the
comparative immunity of the country has hitherto been due mainly
to its high vaccination state. With the fall in vaccinations this
fortunate state of affairs cannot be expected to continue.
It is a remarkable thing that the public, who at the present
time are reluctant to protect themselves, rush for vaccination in
the event of an outbreak, and in infected cases it is then usually
too late.
International Certificates (Ministry of Health Circular
60/48).—Persons proceeding abroad are required in respect of
certain countries to produce evidence of recent successful vaccination
or innoculation. Signatures to such certificates are not
acceptable by the countries concerned unless certified by the Medical
Officer of Health as being those of doctors practising within the
area.
During the year some 61 certificates were so authenticated, of
these 52 were in respect of Smallpox, 7 for Cholera and 2 for Typhoid;
in 11 instances the necessary vaccinations were actually carried out
by your Medical Officer of Health.
Measles.—The final figure of 1,482 remained the same as the
number of notifications received, for although 2 were not confirmed,
a case of Meningococcal Infection and another of Zymotic Enteritis
were subsequently re-diagnosed as Measles. This total of 1,482
compares with 935 for the previous year and 789 for 1949. The
distribution of the cases was as follows:—East Greenwich 513;
West Greenwich 199; St. Nicholas, Deptford 34; Charlton and
Kidbrooke 736.
Fifty-two cases occurred in children under one year of age,
911 between 1 and 5 years, and 504 between the ages of 5 and 15.
The very high incidence experienced at the close of the previous
year continued unabated to the end of March and then slowly fell
away, finally subsiding in June. Thirty-nine eases were removed
to Hospital but there were no fatalities.