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individuals from smallpox endemic areas in 1969. Revaccination of school children has become
routine practice. But there is still room for concern since many children were not eligible because
they had not been vaccinated in infancy, In fact in 1969 less than a half of Haringey children aged
up to and including five years of age had been vaccinated. This is likely to be improved, however,
by the new computerised schedules.
It would seem therefore that another smallpox outbreak of over 500 cases is not a likely event, but
recent experience has shown that even only one case can cause a tremendous amount of alarm and
anxiety in the general population, and we may have to face something considerably worse than this.
The opponents of vaccination had a heavier responsibility than they realised. One wonders how
many of the victims of the Tottenham outbreak would have been spared if they had not refused the
opportunity of vaccination because eminent local people, some in responsible positions, had declared
against it, or it had been made to appear that the experts disagreed among themselves. Indeed, in
the history of public health it is disturbing to contemplate the amount of unnecessary suffering and
death that has resulted from the activities of dedicated, sincere, but misguided groups who, on what
seemed to them to be the highest principles, succeeded only in leading others to disaster.
It is rarely that the anti-vaccinationists have to face the consequences themselves or among their
own supporters. The 'Tottenham Herald' of 17th January 1902, however, mentioned two individuals
who paid the price of their principles: a widow and a daughter of a man who died of the disease,
who refused vaccination, and became cases themselves. It is to be hoped that history will not
repeat itself.
HOUSING APPLICATIONS - ASSESSMENTS ON MEDICAL GROUNDS
Where housing applicants submit medical evidence supporting their requests for re-housing in Council
accommodation, their cases are assessed by senior medical officers of the Health Department.
During 1969 requests were received for 722 cases to be investigated and recommendations made upon
medical priorities. This was a considerable increase of over 14% above the 630 requests in 1968.
This extra demand was also reflected in an increase in the number of visits made from 202 in 1968
to 250 in 1969. Visits were still made only in special circumstances to housing applicants, the
majority of recommendations being made on the basis of medical evidence submitted, and the
information regarding the existing accommodation on the Housing Department files. However, all
cases where the Housing Manager requested advice on the medical circumstances of Council tenants
were visited. There was again an increase in the number of requests for visits to Council tenants
from 45 in 1968 to 67 in 1969.
During 1969 65 of "special medical" cases were recommended for consideration by the Housing
Tenancy Selection Panel. These were dealt with in the following way:
Allocated during the year 54
Consideration pending at end of year 6
Rehoused by the G.L.C. 1
Deferred until the property had been acquired by the Council 1
Applied for Residential Accommodation as house was in a
Clearance Area 1
Died before allocation could be considered 2
44 of the special medical cases concerned applicants over 60 years of age and 29 of these were over
70 years of age. This illustrates the increasing need for suitable housing for the elderly.
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