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to try to arrive at a policy of control which can be expected to
produce practical results and at the same time to reduce the
burden which has recently been thrown on the Sanitary Inspectors'
shoulders. I am not entirely satisfied that we cannot improve our
present methods, by eliminating unnecessary visits without in any
way lessening control. I am firmly of the opinion that the whole
matter should be reviewed in the light of experience and recent
knowledge.
In the meantime, we will continue our present methods of
control, as we cannot afford to slacken our supervision in any
respect. As already noted, it is at least satisfactory to be able to
report that no outbreaks occurred during 1952, while those cases
which were reported had no great clinical signficance.
Puerperal Pyrexia
Five cases of puerperal pyrexia were notified during the year,
the same number as was notified in 1951.
No deaths were attributable to puerperal causes.
Smallpox
Once again, no case of smallpox occurred in Southgate during
1952, although several doubtful rashes were reported. In each
instance, smallpox could be eliminated. As the Council will be
aware, vaccination is carried out by the County Council and not by
the Borough Council. None the less, the control of smallpox is
vested in the local authority, in this case the Borough Council, as
part of its epidemiological programme. We must therefore be
intimately concerned in vaccination as the recognised method, in
this country, of controlling the spread of smallpox.
A substantial number of cases of alastrim or variola minor,
a mild type of smallpox, occurred in Lancashire towards the beginning
of 1952. More recently, the severe or Asiatic form of smallpox
has been reported from Lancashire and Yorkshire. This latter
visitation makes it perfectly obvious, if the fact were not obvious
before, that the state of vaccination in these islands cannot be
neglected. Unfortunately, it is becoming increasingly difficult to
persuade parents to accept vaccination for their infants.
Immunisation is now regarded more or less as a matter of
routine, and is seldom questioned. Vaccination is quite a different
matter. Here, more often than not, persuasion has to be applied
before the wisdom of the process is appreciated and accepted.
During 1953, it is anticipated that the County Council will
encourage vaccination at selected welfare centres. This should be
of undoubted advantage and will, one trusts, raise the vaccination
rate at a time when this is urgently required. It will scarcely be
necessary for me to say that the obvious advantages of vaccination
are carefully pointed out to the mothers of all young children
attending our clinics. We also take the opportunity of stressing
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