View report page

174
Particulars of age groups and districts affected are shown in
the table at the end of this Report.
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.
If a Medical Officer of Health requests a person to discontinue
his employment with a view to preventing the spread of an
infectious disease and issues a certificate accordingly, this often
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 five 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.
The last real smallpox outbreak in the Borough was as long
ago as October, 1901, and, by August of the following year, 104
cases had been notified of which 25 died.
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.