London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Islington 1959
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington Borough]
This page requires JavaScript
16
Smallpox
Information was received on 16th May of five crew members and two passengers of the
S.S. Ivernia, contacts of a case of suspected smallpox, who were proceeding to addresses
in Islington. Regular daily visiting of these contacts was made until further information
was received that the diagnosis of the suspected case had been corrected to chicken pox
The following is the table of successful vaccinations performed over the past eleven years.-
| 1st January - 3rd July, 1948 | 1,124 |
| 5th July - 31st December, 1948 | 702 |
| 1949 | 1,628 |
| 1950 | 2,307 |
| 1951 | 3,291 |
| 1952 | 2,450 |
| 1953 | 3,055 |
| 1954 | 4,052* |
| 1955 | 5,942* |
| 1956 | 2,590* # |
| 1957 | 3,624* |
| 1958 | 3,449* |
| 1959 | 2,692* |
(Figures kindly furnished by Divisional Medical Officer, London
County Council)
* Including Re-vaccinations
# Group Sessions for Schoolchildren discontinued
The Vaccination Acts were rescinded under the National Health Service Act, 1946, as from
5th July, 1948.
Certificates of Vaccination and Inoculation - Authentication - Ministry of Health Circular 60/48
Applications for authentication to be dealt with by the Medical Officer of Health numbered
740 as against 743 for the previous year The applications comprise requests for authentication
of International Certificates of Vaccination and Inoculation against smallpox cholera typhoid etc.
and constitute a substantial item of work The certificates, of course are required for travel
abroad.
Measles and Whooping Cough
Measles and Whooping Cough became generally notifiable in London at the end of 1939 Prior
to this there was only a limited notification.