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It is a matter of continual surprise that public anxiety
on such occasions can be so great but that, during quiescent
periods, there should be so much neglect of routine vaccination.
There are good reasons why parents should ensure the
primary vaccination of their children in infancy, not the
least being the risk of severe reactions and the possibility,
however small, of post-vaccinal encephalitis when primary
vaccination against smallpox is carried out in adolescence
or in later life.
In March, 1962 the report of the Royal College of Physicians
on Smoking and Health was published and confirmed
very convincingly the association that exists between heavy
cigarette smoking and cancer of the lung. Its initial impact on
the public was considerable but there is now a real dang that
the report, with all its implications, will be forgotten unless
vigorous action is taken by the Government, local authorities
and other responsible bodies to keep the issue alive as one
of the outstanding public health problems of the day. At the
time of writing a five-day visit to the area of a mobile unit
of the Central Council for Health Education is being planned
to act as a spearhead in a week's campaign concerned,
mainly, with the problem of smoking by schoolchidren.
We are approaching the end of an era in local government
in the Greater London Area. With the London
Government Act, 1963 on the Statute Book one is becoming
increasingly pre-occupied with the future, of the Health and
Welfare Services in the proposed London Borough 18.
The orderly take-over of these services will need careful
thought and preparation, particularly in regard to the basic
administrative structure to be adopted. This should be the
as to allow for the organic growth of these services in the
years to come.
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