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44
VACCINATION AND IMMUNISATION
Parents are encouraged to have their babies vaccinated against diphtheria,
whooping cough, tetanus, poliomyelitis and smallpox.
This may be done, either by the Council's doctors at maternity and child
welfare centres and schools or by general practitioners.
Re-inforcing doses are also given to older children under similar arrangements.
As a result of the controlled trials of measles vaccines undertaken by the
Medical Research Council, in which the Health Department co-operated, the Minister
of Health issued a circular (6/66) indicating that he was prepared to consider giving
approval to any authority who wished to include vaccination against measles a part
of its prophylaxis arrangements.
This, the Health Committee decided to do, and subsequently the Minister
agreed to an amendment to the Council's proposals under the National Health
Service Act 1946 to enable measles vaccinations to be undertaken.
INTERNATIONAI. CERTIFICATES OF VACCIN ATION
Certificates of recent successful vaccination/inoculation are required by
persons travelling to certain countries abroad.
After completion by the vaccinating doctor (normally the person's own doctor)
the certificate must be taken or sent for authentication of the doctor's signature
by the Medical Officer of Health for the area in which the doctor practises.
In Lambeth signatures on certificates are authenticated in the Health
Department, Blue Star House, 234/244 Stockwell Road, S.W.9.
C.ARCTNOMA OF THE CERVIX-CYTOLOGICAI. DIAGNOSIS
After protracted negotiations a limited service for the collection of cervical
smears from well women for cytological diagnostic investigation was commenced
in May 1966. Twenty smears per week from two clinics in Lambeth are examined
at the South London Hospital Laboratory. Five hundred and eighty one women
were examined up to 31st December, 1966 and three positive cases were discovered.
It is hoped to expand the service considerably in the near future, but this is
dependent on the capacity of hospital laboratories to train the necessary technicians.