VACCINATION

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 82, 3 October 1929, Page 18

VACCINATION

NEW ORDER AT HOME

INSTRUCTIONS TO DOCTORS

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, 23rd August.

Important changes in tho rules governing vaccination arc made, in an order Which has been issued by the Minister of Health,' Mr. W. Greenwood, and which cornea into force on Ist October.

■ Reference is made in a. circular accompanying the order to the mysterious new disease known as post-vaccinal encephalitis (brain inflamation), a number of deaths from which has alarmed

the public this year. The circular recalls tho remarks of the Ministry of Health committee- of experts in its report last year that such cases aro of serious import and cannot fail to have an effect on vaccination. ,

The committee also pointed to the extreme rarity of such manifestations, particularly after re-vaccination and after primary vaccination in early infancy, and concluded that early infancy remains the time of choice for primary vaccination. . .

In view of the fact that post-vaccinal disease has occurred mainly in children of school age and adolescents, the Minister recommends that:

So long as tho smallpox'prevalent in this country retains its present mild character, it is not generally expedient to press for the vaccination of persons of these ages who have not previously bei-'n vaccinated. Based on the report of a Committee appointed by the Ministry in conjunction with the Medical Research Council, the order lays it down that in. future there shall be': "Only one insertion in ordinary cases; the inspection of all children vaccinated; frco additional treatment when necessary for children vaccinated by a, public vaccinator; and ro-vaccination at any time, instead of only after ten years. "The aim of the- vaccinator," it is stated,'"sb-onld be to produce tho most successful results with the minimum, of injury." NERVOUS DISEASE. Attention is drawn to the occurrence of "post-vaccinal nervous disease." "The Committee point out," it is stated, "that, however seldom such cases may occur, they are of serious import and cannot fail to have an effect

oa vaccination both in its administrative and in its purely medical aspects. But the Committee also point to' the extreme rarity of such manifestations, particularly after re-vaccination and after primary vaccination and after primary vaccination in early infancy, and they conclude that early infancy remains the time of choice for primary vaccination. "The Minister recognises that •postvaccinal nervous disease,' both in this country and abroad, has occurred mainly in children of school age or adolescents who had never previously boon vaccinated, and that this fact emphasises the desirability of securing the successful vaccination of infants. Where this has not- been attained, the question, which arises is whether it is advisable to vaccinate children of school age or adolescents. The Minister is of opinion that, in the present state of knowledge, and so long as the smallpox prevalent in this country retains its present mild character, it; is not gonerally expedient to press for the vaccination of persons of these ages who have not previously been vaccinated, unless they have been in personal contact with a case of smallpox or directly exposed to smallpox infection." ... Several fatal cases of encephalitis, following vaccination, nave been the subject of comment by coroners and medical authorities within recent weeks. In one such case, in July, Dr. B. L. Guthrie, the East London' coronor, said: *' It is to be supposd that some unknown factor' exists- —perhaps bacterial, or a filter-passing virus, or a latent virus which, by means of a reciprocal reaction, determines the occurrence oi these accidents. Between 3 and 13 is the time that this disease is particularly liable to occur." The new order makes no referenct to tjhe use of more dilute lymph.

In Cologne there is an ingenious letterjbox machine. You push your letter through a slit, it is weighed_ and the amount of payment' necessary is indicated. You then put your money into a slot, the machine stamps the letter "paid," and drops it into a lower part ready for the postman to collect.