View report page

82
Except as otherwise provided by the Vaccination Order, 1930, every Vaccination Officer may be
appointed on such terms and conditions of service as the Council may think proper.
The name and remuneration of every Vaccination Officer, together with particulars of the
district assigned to him, shall on his appointment be reported to the Minister of Health.
At the present time there are two Vaccination Officers:—Mr. S. A. Broomhead for North and
East St. Pancras (Wards 1, 2, 3, and 6) and Mr. A. E. Wolfe for South and West St. Pancras
(Wards 4, 5, 7, and 8).
Each Vaccination Officer has been required to have an Office in the district, where he may be
found on one day in each week.
Mr. Broomhead has intimated to the Guardians that he proposes to retire and take his superannuation
on the 31st March next.
The question therefore arises of providing for the discharge of the duties in the North and
East divisions, either by the appointment of another officer, or by appointing one Vaccination
Officer for the whole of the Borough.
Owing to the continued decrease in the number of births and to the large number of conscientious
objectors to vaccination, the duties could doubtless easily be carried out by one officer.
At present about 3,800 births are registered during the year, deaths of children under one
year of age, removals, etc., reduce this number by about 600, and conscientious objectors by a
further 1,250. Of the remaining 2,000 children, a very large percentage are vaccinated either by
a general practitioner or by the public vaccinator without any trouble on the part of the Vaccination
Officer. The actual number of cases requiring visits, supervision, etc., is therefore not great.
Expenditure in connection with Vaccination.
This information has very kindly been supplied by Mr, B. Chapman, Clerk to the Guardians:—
For the year ended 30th September, 1927 £1,149
„ „ „ „ „ „ 1928 £1,144
„ „ „ „ „ „ 1929 £1,212

Owing to the prevalence of Small-pox, the fees payable to the Public Vaccinators at the present
time are probably somewhat above the average, and during the coming year there will doubtless
be an increase in connection with printing and stationery, as new forms may have to be provided.
If one Vaccination Officer is appointed for the whole of the Borough in the place of two as
formerly, an economy should be effected. Allowing for the above factors, the total cost for the
year commencing 1st April next should not exceed £1,100.
I am, etc.,
G. Sowden,
Medical Officer of Health.
January 16th, 1930.
We recommend—
(a) That the functions of the St. Pancras Board of Guardians in respect of
vaccination, transferred to the Council by Section 18 (g) of the Local Government
Act, 1929, be exercised by the Public Health Committee, as from lst April, 1930.