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results in hardship, for National Health benefits are considerably
less than a person's normal earnings. However, under Section 26
of the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1959, the
Council may, if they think fit, compensate such person for any
loss occasioned by his compliance with the Medical Officer of
Health's request.
During the past four years it has not been necessary to
issue any such certificates.
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 Smallpox cases willing
to submit themselves for treatment.
Vaccination.—Smallpox is a very dangerous and disfiguring
disease and prior to the introduction of compulsory vaccination in
1853, nine-tenths of smallpox victims were children under 5 years of
age. Subsequent to this period, children, by and large, escaped.
However, since 1898, when the 'conscientious objection' clause
made its appearance, vaccinations have declined steeply and the
position deteriorated still further from 1948 when vaccination
became optional.
Glycerinated calf lymph is the standard vaccine used in this
country and the number of vaccinations carried out in the Borough
at the County Council clinics during 1963 was 157.
This substantial decrease of 1,240 from that of the previous
year contrasts the public's attitude towards vaccination under
normal circumstances and its almost hysterical reaction at times
of emergency reflecting, perhaps, an anxiety born of a feeling of
culpable neglect.
In Greenwich during the last 13 years 17,225 births have been
registered, and for the same period only 8,983 vaccinations have
been effected, a figure equivalent to 52.1%. In this connection it
is only fair to state that a number of these vaccinations were
effected in conformity with the requirements concerning the issue
of international vaccination certificates.
Occasionally a smallpox scare in the country results in a jump
in the number of vaccinations effected, as witnessed at the beginning
of 1962, but generally the trend is downwards.
Today, although every precaution is taken at seaports and
airports, infected persons do occasionally slip through but the