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23
A special Circular was issued by the Local Government Board in
September, as under:—
LONDON.
Memorandum on the steps specially requisite to be taken
in places where Small-pox is prevalent.
1.—BY BOARDS OF GUARDIANS.
As it is by vaccination that the spread of small-pox can most effectually be
prevented, Boards of Guardians, as soon as any case of that disease is
brought into or occurs in their respective unions or parishes, should see
that measures are promptly taken to secure, as far as is necessary and
practicable under the law relating to vaccination, the vaccination (or, as
the case may be, re-vaccination) of all such persons as are especially
exposed to the danger of the infection.
Under sect. 7 of the Vaccination Act, 1898 (61 and 62 Vict. c. 49), the Local
Government Board may by Order, if in their opinion it is expedient by
reason of serious risk of outbreak of small-pox, or of other exceptional
circumstances, require any Board of Guardians to provide vaccination
stations for the vaccination of children with glycerinated calf lymph, or such
other lymph as may be issued by the Board, and modify as respects the area
to which the Order applies, and during the period for which it is in force,
the provisions of that Act requiring the public vaccinator to visit the home
of the child, otherwise than on request of the parent; and it will be for
Boards of Guardians to make application to the Local Government Board
for the issue of such an Order whenever local circumstances appear to them
to demand the exercise of the power conferred on the Board by the section
in question. It is also provided under sect. 13 of the Vaccination Act, 1871
(34 and 35 Vict. c. 98), that District Medical Officers in attendance upon
any person suffering from small-pox shall be entitled to payment from the
Guardians for vaccinating or (as the case may be) re-vaccinating any
person who is resident in the same house as the sick person, and who could
lawfully be vaccinated or (as the case may be) re-vaccinated by a Public
Vaccinator at the public expense.
These provisions, promptly applied in the event of serious risk of an outbreak of
small-pox, will in general be found adequate to stop the spread of the
disease; but if from neglect of them, or from any other circumstance, cases
of small-pox spread in the district, special measures should be taken to
expedite, as far as practicable, the vaccination of all unvaccinated persons
in the district and to promote the re-vaccination of adults and adolescents
who have not already been successfully re-vaccinated.