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to the visit by the Mass X-ray Unit; in addition to the usual advertisement in the
local papers 24,000 leaflets were distributed by post and by hand and were available in
public offices and libraries.
The leaflet contained a schedule of times and places and the following message :—
"Great strides have been made by medical science in the battle against
tuberculosis, but the battle must continue if we are to be finally rid of this
dread disease.
I appeal to you to help in this task by having a chest X-ray at our Mass
Radiography Unit, which is visiting Finchley
Remember, 5 seconds now may save YEARS of ill-health.
(Signed) J. D. RUSSELL,
Medical Officer of Health."
Arising from the X-rays 30 persons were referred for further investigations, the
results of which are not yet available.
Details of the permanent Mass X-ray Units are given in the information section,
page 41.
Vaccination and Immunisation
Vaccination and immunisation against diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, smallpox
and poliomyelitis is a function of the Local Health Authority, Middlesex County
Council, under Section 26 of the National Health Service Act, 1946.
International Certificates of Vaccination
Only three forms of international certificates of vaccination have been prescribed
—namely for smallpox, cholera and yellow fever—and persons who are being vaccinated
against these diseases should in their own interests see that their certificates are on the
international forms. There is no international certificate of vaccination against typhoid
fever or paratyphoid fever, but apart from any requirement by a particular country, all
persons going abroad are advised to be effectively vaccinated against these diseases.
Vaccination against any disease other than yellow fever can be done by a
person's own doctor or exceptionally (by arrangement) at a hospital. Yellow fever
vaccination must, for international and technical reasons, be done only at a centre
designated by the Government. A free yellow fever vaccination service has been
established for this purpose (see information section, page 40).
The international forms for smallpox and cholera must be obtained by the
traveller himself, and after completion by the doctor, taken to the Local Authority for
authentication. During the year, 1,187 certificates were authenticated.
Statistical Tables—see pages 58-61.
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