Summary: A warning to parents to have their children vaccinated against smallpox, in the form of a demonstration of how the greater mobility of a 'shrinking' world brings the apparently remote danger of the disease closer to home.
Description: In the first part of the film, an Army Sergeant on leave from the Far East unwittingly starts an outbreak by bringing home as a gift for his unvaccinated daughter an infected rag doll; scenes of mass vaccination, gossip etc suggest the development of the outbreak and the counter-measures of the Medical Officer of Health; we learn that the first victim, the daughter, will survive, though marked for life. In the second part, the MOH, speaking direct to camera, says "we got off very lightly" with 4 deaths out of 11 cases, and points out "if only that child had been vaccinated..." The story line is then dropped and a direct appeal made to parents, reinforced by argument (eg on growing use of air travel) and unpleasant genuine photographs of smallpox victims.
Production Details: Central Council for Health Education (Production sponsor)
Central Office of Information (Production sponsor)
Ministry of Health (Production sponsor)
Crown Film Unit (Production company)
Personalities, Units and Organisations:
Keywords: medical, British civilian - preventative: smallpox vaccination (object name)
propaganda, British - practical: vaccination (object name)
GB, England (geography)
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Sound
Soundtrack language: English
Title language: English
Technical Details: Format: 35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 935 ft; Running time: 10 mins
