View report page

Smallpox—

The fact that infant vaccination, in spite of a rise on the previous year, remains at a
lower level than in 1959 has already been mentioned. The acceptance rate for infant
vaccination is about 51 per cent. This level is about twice that of 1949 and present levels
have been attained by a fairly steady improvement since compulsion was abolished by
the National Health Service Act. In spite of this improvement, the acceptance rate for
smallpox vaccination remains substantially lower than that for diphtheria and whooping
cough immunisation. The reason for this must be found and steps taken to remedy it.
Although the situation is much more favourable than it was ten years ago one must view
with some concern the fact that half our children are growing up without being vaccinated.
One of the disadvantages of such a situation was shown very clearly in the early weeks
of 1962, when, as a result of importation of smallpox into the country, there was a huge
public demand for vaccination. This resulted in large numbers of persons being vaccinated
for the first time in adolescence and adult life, when the complications of primary vaccination
are relatively common. Had they been vaccinated in infancy, their re-vaccination could
have been carried out during the smallpox epidemic without discomfort or danger.
One child, aged three years, developed generalised vaccinia six days after successful
primary vaccination. The eruption developed at the sites of quiescent lichenified eczema
and the child made a good recovery.
A child who was vaccinated at the age of five months became ill seven days later. At the
time of admission to hospital four days later there was a typical primary response, but the
child was severely ill with signs of encephalitis from which he died within 24 hours of
admission. At the post-mortem examination the diagnosis of encephalitis was confirmed.
Poliomyelitis—The number of persons who have received protection against poliomyelitis
is as follows: