View report page

14
Numerous enquiries appertaining to this outbreak were dealt with in the Department,
and of course, the matter extended into early January, 1962. The taxi in which the patient
was conveyed to hospital was garaged in Islington and had to be taken out of commission
and disinfected as soon as it was known that a smallpox patient had travelled in it.
A request received from a Postal Sorting Office in the Borough, for disinfection of
mailbags and parcels arriving from Pakistan was carefully considered in conjunction with
Ministry of Health and Treasury Medical Officers. The Ministry was of opinion that possible
risk of transmission of infection by such means was infinitesimal. The question of vaccination
of postal sorters was also raised and the General Post Office finally issued a directive
for all Sorting Offices on these matters.
The public were naturally concerned by smallpox reports and the local press were most
helpful in maintaining liaison with the Public Health Department of the Borough Council as
well as with that of the London County Council, and in giving a balanced and authoritative
presentation of the facts.
Many enquiries were received in regard to vaccination and there was a greatly increased
demand upon practitioners for this service. The possibility of general or mass vaccination
was raised, but the Ministry of Health did not consider it necessary at this stage. The
Ministry's view was that the present procedure of intensive tracing of all possible contacts
and suspects, together with immediate vaccination or revaccination of such persons should
be sufficient, as in the past, to contain any possible spread. Only if such measures failed
would the Ministry recommend mass vaccination for consideration. Nevertheless, in view of
the great public demand, the London County Council, through its Divisional Health Office,
temporarily increased the vaccination sessions available to the public so that the demand
for protection could be adequately met.

(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The Vaccination Acts were rescinded under the National Health Service Act, 1946, as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.