View report page

76
Immunisation and Vaccination
Regulation 9 of the Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations, 1968, provides that a medical officer of health may vaccinate
or immunise, without charge, any contacts or possible contacts of
a case of infectious disease now to be notified (other than tuberculosis) who are willing to receive such treatment.
Smallpox
No cases were notified during the year, but a number of contacts
were reported arriving in the Borough from abroad and these were
kept under surveillance for the requisite period of time.
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 primary vaccinations carried out in the
Borough during 1969 was 2,038, 1,647 under Council arrangements
and 391 by general practitioners, the total indicating a fall of 393
from that of the previous year. Figures for re-vaccination were 58
and 197 respectively.
Measles
The number of cases notified during the year was 1,080 which
compared with 2,345 in 1967 and 2,608 in 1965 shows a considerable reduction in the usual biennial return. It may well be that our
measles vaccination scheme, commenced in May 1968, is already
producing beneficial results.
Eight of the notified cases were admitted into hospital, but I am
happy to report that no deaths were recorded.
During the year, a total of 2,367 children were vaccinated against
measles, 2,091 in accordance with Council arrangements and 276
by local general practitioners.
Scarlet Fever
There were 31 notifications of scarlet fever received compared
with 106 in 1968.
No deaths were recorded.