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65
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 primary vaccinations carried out in the
Borough during 1965 was 2,565, 2,336 under Council arrangements
and 229 by general practitioners; figures for re-vaccination were
176 and 39 respectively.
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
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.
Measles
The normal biennial fluctuation was evident in the number of
cases notified during the year which increased from a total of 696
for Greenwich and Woolwich in 1964, to 2,608 for the current year.
Only ten cases were removed to hospital and there were no
deaths recorded.
Much research has been carried out in recent years with regard
to the control of measles. New vaccines, free of the undesirable
reactions of the earlier types, have been developed and under the
control of the Medical Research Council, a limited scheme for
vaccination with a new vaccine was introduced during 1964. Some
620 babies up to the end of 1965 were vaccinated and during the
year information concerning notified cases born between 1st
November, 1962, and 31st December, 1963, were returned monthly
to the M.R.C.
Scarlet Fever
There were 111 notified cases in 1965, a total which shows a
fall of 12 from the consolidated figure of 123 for the previous
year when Greenwich recorded 52 and Woolwich 71.
Three cases were removed to hospital and no fatality was
recorded.