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increase of 1,199 is almost entirely accounted for by the biennial
fluctuation in measles notifications.
Particulars of age groups, by sex and districts, are shown in the
table given in the Appendix.
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.
It is likely that action of this nature could result in hardship
for National Health benefits are considerably less than a person's
normal earnings. However, Section 41 of the Public Health Act,
1961, provides that where, with a view to preventing the spread of
a notifiable infectious disease or a disease to which Section 23(1)
of the Food and Drugs Act, 1955, applies, a Medical Officer of
Health by written notice requests a person to discontinue his work,
then the local authority shall compensate such person for the loss
occasioned in compliance thereof.
Under this Section 41, such action was taken in respect of three
food handlers during the current year.
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 3,603 certificates of persons proceeding
abroad were so authenticated, of these 3,008 were in respect of
Smallpox, 355 Cholera, and 240 for Typhoid.