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130
Occasionally a smallpox scare in the country results in a jump
in the number of vaccinations effected but generally the trend is
downwards.
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 the number of vaccinations
this fortunate state of affairs cannot be expected to
continue.
International Certificates (Ministry of Health Circular
20/52).—The question of authentication of International Certificates
of vaccination has now been settled by the adoption of the International
Sanitary Regulations (W.H.O. Regulations No. 2) which
replaced the International Sanitary Conventions on 1st October.
1952. The Regulations prescribe inter alia, new forms of International
Certificates of vaccination against Cholera and Smallpox
and, to be valid, the certificate must bear an approved stamp
which certifies that the signature of the Vaccinator is that of a
practising medical practitioner.
During the year some 334 certificates of persons proceeding
abroad were so authenticated, of these 279 were in respect of Smallpox,
36 for Cholera and 19 for Typhoid. One vaccination was
carried out by your Medical Officer of Health.
Measles.—The current year saw one of the lowest figures for
measles ever recorded for the Borough, viz. 47. Although the
normal biennial fluctuation was absent during 1960, it was probably
merely delayed, for some 29 of these cases were notified during the
last two weeks of the year.
Of the figure of 47, 23 were males and 24 females, and the total
indicates a reduction of 590 from that of the previous year. One
case occurred in a child under 1 year of age, 43 in children between
1 and 10 years and 3 in persons over 10 years.
One case was removed to hospital and this patient, a man of
56 years died.
The distribution of the cases was as follows:—East Greenwich
7; West Greenwich 29; St. Nicholas, Deptford 1; Charlton and
Kidbrooke 10.
In 1958 there were 306 and during 1957, 1,194 cases were
recorded. In 1956 there were 44.
Whooping Cough—Altogether 168 notifications were received
in 1960, an increase of 134 over those of the previous year. The
year 1958 produced 55, there were 97 registered for 1957. and
there were 122 for 1956.