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Immunisation is regularly carried out by the London County Council at Welfare
Centres and at the schools and some immunisation is done by general practitioners
but this cannot be successful without the co-operation of the public.
Smallpox.
No cases of smallpox occurred in the Borough during 1954 but there was one
incident which may be of interest.
On 10th February 1954 apatient was removed by ambulance to a general hospital
in another Borough. On the 12th February the patient was diagnosed as suffering
from smallpox and was removed to a smallpox hospital. Information was received
that another patient had been transferred in the same ambulance on 10th February
to a hospital in this Borough andhad been admitted to a general ward. The hospital
was visited immediately and the patient who had been carried in the ambulance,
members of the medical and nursing staff and other patients who might have been
in contact with infectious material were vaccinated.
After some days it was found that the diagnosis of smallpox in the original
case was not correct and as a consequence no other cases arose but the very full
co-operation of the hospital staff and of the officers of other authorities and
bodies in checking what might well have been a serious outbreak is very much
appreciated.
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