View report page

24
Smallpox.
Recent scattered outbreaks of smallpox in various parts of the
country have emphasised the serious danger which exists from the
importation of this disease.
Smallpox is still a common and highly virulent disease in
the Far East. The incubation period of 12 days allows ample
time for a patient to be infected while abroad—return by air—
and not show signs or symptoms until several days after arrival
in this country.
This chain of events led to the Brighton outbreak in December,
1950, where 10 people died out of 29 confirmed cases.
There was no confirmed case of smallpox in Ealing in 1950
but the Public Health Department placed under daily supervision
24 persons who had been at risk. Six people arrived by air from
epidemic areas, 2 men were in contact with a case removed from
an aircraft at London Airport, and 16 persons arrived by sea in
vessels in which a case of smallpox had been diagnosed. All these
contacts were successfully vaccinated and remained symptom free.
The value of vaccination has been abundantly proved, but
for full protection a recent successful vaccination is essential.
Vaccination is performed free of charge by the General
Practitioners.
Primary vaccination in the first year of life is a safe and simple
procedure but in 1949 only one-sixth of infants were being vaccinated.
Revaccination produces little general upset or complications.
It is highly desirable that every infant should be vaccinated
not only to produce a high level of group immunity but also to avoid
"emergency" primary vaccination in adult life which may be
painful and temporarily disabling.
Whenever smallpox is introduced into Britain, there is a public
demand for vaccination, but this may not protect those unvaccinated
persons who first come in contact with the disease.
Hospital staff and laundry workers appear to be at special risk
and should be revaccinated regularly.
Tuberculosis.
The number of cases of Tuberculosis notified during the year
is set out in the following table in which the cases are classified
into the type of disease, age and sex groups.
Notifications are received from general medical practitioners
and superintendents of sanatoria. Occasionally the first intimation
is a death certificate.
The number of cases notified remained very constant over the
past 3 years.