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the person issuing the certificate was verified in each case as that
of a registered medical practitioner practising in Wandsworth and
the certificate endorsed accordingly.
The number of 6,271 certificates authenticated, although over
12,000 less than in 1966, when the very large number received was
occasioned by the smallpox outbreak in that year, is still much
greater than in the previous years and confirms my earlier view that
the tightening up by most countries of their vaccination requirements
is causing many more requests to be made to Health Departments
for the authentication of international certificates.
Persons who are proceeding to certain areas abroad but who
do not wish to be vaccinated must take with them a certificate to
the effect that no recent cases of smallpox have occurred in the
borough. Four such certificates were issued on request during the
year.
Under the Public Health (Aircraft) Regulations, 1966, persons
travelling to this country by air who are not in possession of a
valid international certificate of vaccination against smallpox must
be placed under surveillance for a specified period. Thirty such
persons who were travelling to addresses in the Borough were kept
under observation.
Bacteriological Examinations
Bacteriological examination of stools and other specimens taken
in connection with food poisoning and for infectious diseases was
carried out by the joint Microbiology and Public Health Laboratory,
St. George's Hospital, Tooting, and 4,337 specimens, made up as
follows, were examined during the year.
Stool and Urine 3,944
Nose and Throat Swabs 393
Bacteriological examinations in connection with routine food
sampling were carried out at the Public Health Laboratory at
County Hall.