View report page

82
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 22 persons were
reported arriving in the Borough from abroad without valid certificates
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.
Recently attention has been drawn to some serious complications
resulting from childhood smallpox vaccination. These, though
small in number, are nevertheless out of proportion to the risks
involved and moves are being made to discontinue vaccination of
children as a routine procedure whilst continuing to encourage its
retention in cases of travellers to areas where smallpox is endemic.
Glycerinated calf lymph is the standard vaccine used in this
country and the number of primary vaccinations carried out in the
Borough during 1970 was 2,626, 2,285 under Council arrangements
and 341 by general practitioners, the total indicating a rise of 588
(28.8%) over that of the previous year. Figures for re-vaccination
were 59 and 246 respectively.
Measles
Compared with totals of 312 in 1968 and 1,250 in 1966, during
1970, another "non-measles" year, cases notified numbered 590
following the usual biennial fluctuation and indicating a decrease
of 490 from those registered for the previous year. Our measles
vaccination scheme, introduced in May 1968, is beginning to
produce 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 2,261 children were vaccinated against
measles, 1,919 in accordance with Council arrangements and 342
by local general practitioners.