London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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St Pancras 1930

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, Metropolitan Borough]

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80
SMALL-POX.
175 cases of this disease were notified in the Borough during the year, as Compared
with 87 cases during the previous year.
Small-pox became somewhat prevalent in the Metropolis in 1929, and cases continued to
occur during 1930.
In St. Pancras the prevalence was limited to the first six months of the year, the cases
were invariably mild in character, and no deaths occurred.
Although the type of the disease was extremely mild, the efforts made to prevent the
spread of infection, including the tracing and supervision of the large number of contacts,
involved the staff of the Public Health Department in a considerable amount of extra work.
VACCINATION.
As from April 1st, 1930, the functions previously carried out by the Board of
Guardians in respect of Vaccination were transferred to the Borough Council.
In connection with the taking over of these duties, the following report was submitted
to the Public Health Committee, and the undermentioned recommendations were adopted by
the Council.
To the Chairman and Members of the
Public Health Committee.
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I beg to submit the following Report with reference to the subject of Vaccination.
Local Government Act, 1929.
Public Vaccination.
Under Section 18 (g) of the Local Government Act, the functions of the Board of Guardians in
respect of vaccination, and the officers employed in connection with those functions, will, as from
the 1st April, 1930, be transferred to the Borough Council.
Section 2 of the Act provides that the functions relating to Vaccination shall be discharged by
the Council as functions relating to public health.
The Local Government Act does not alter the existing law relating to vaccination in any
material respect, and it will be the duty of the Borough Council to make provision for public
vaccination to be continued on the lines laid down by the Vaccination Acts, 1867 to 1907, and the
various Orders which have been made from time to time under those Acts.
These Orders have now been consolidated and amended, and a new Order, the Vaccination
Order, 1930, will come into operation on the 1st April next.
The following appear to be the principal matters requiring consideration in order to ensure the
smooth transfer of the vaccination functions on the appointed day —
The Council are required to divide their area into vaccination districts, and to enter into a
contract with a duly registered medical practitioner to act as public vaccinator for each district.
The scheme of division of the area into districts and any alteration to it, as also the public
vaccinator's contract, are subject to the approval of the Minister of Health.
Under Section 113 of the Local Government Act, the liabilities of the Guardians in relation to
their contracts with existing public vaccinators will be transferred to the Borough Council on the
1st April next.
The present public vaccinators and the districts for which they act are as follows ■
District 1 Dr. N. J. Goodcliild.
District 2 Dr. F. L. Pelly.
Districts 3 & 4 Dr. J. Wigg.
Districts 5, 6 & 7 Dr. A. E. Tait.
District 8 Dr. C. H. A. Alderton.