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20.
supervision of contacts is done in order to detect the eases
at the earliest possible moment with the object of preventing
the spread of the disease by having the patients
sent to Hospital.
The large amount of work devoted by the Public
Health Staff in keeping smallpox contacts under
observation could almost entirely be dispensed with if
the community were efficiently vaccinated and the time
and money spent on the work could be devoted to other
work, thus giving the ratepayers real value for money
spent.
The hospital treatment of approximately '2,000 cases
which were treated in London Hospitals in 1929 involves
the ratepayers in heavy and needless expenditure. The
fact that smallpox is so prevalent in England prejudices
this country in carrying on business with other nations.
If vaccination is done in infancy and then again
just before school age (5 years) there is practically no
risk attached thereto. The Public Vaccinator nowadays
only makes one vaccination mark unless special permission
to make two, three, or four, is given by the
parent. People should not wait until they become
contacts before being vaccinated. Anyone may come in
contact with a case of smallpox without being aware of
the fact and may therefore contract the disease unless
previously vaccinated.
If, however, a person not already protected by vaccination
knows that he or she has been in contact with a
case of smallpox, vaccination should be done. Apart
from the possible severity of the disease, smallpox is a
condition which often, even in mild cases, causes much
disfigurement.
Vaccination.
Mr. H. Davies, Vaccination Officer until 31st
March, 1930, to the Fulham Guardians, and since that
date Vaccination Officer to the Borough Council, has
kindly supplied me with the following particulars relating
to vaccination in Fulham:—