Records of the Government Lymph Establishment

Division within MH

1897-1946

Records of the Government Lymph Establishment relating to responsibilities for the production and testing of vaccine for immunisation against smallpox are in MH 70

Public Record(s)

English

• Local Government Board, Government Lymph Establishment, 1907-1919
• Ministry of Health, Government Lymph Establishment, 1919-1946

1 series

Topics

Disease

In 1871 the Local Government Board took over responsibility for vaccination against smallpox from the Privy Council, and in 1881 established an Animal Vaccine Station to supply lymph to supplement the normal arm-to-arm method of vaccination. In the late 1890s the development of glycerinated calf lymph led to the discontinuance of arm-to-arm vaccination, and the Vaccination Act 1898 required all public vaccinations to be made with lymph issued by the board. A bacteriologist and an assistant were appointed with laboratory and research facilities to develop and test lymph.

From 1898 to 1907 lymph was collected at the Animal Vaccine Station, where calves were stabled; bacteriological processing was carried out at a Glycerinated Calf Lymph Establishment at the Lister Institute and distributed by the National Vaccine Establishment, which had been formed as early as 1808 to provide free supplies of lymph throughout the country. In 1907 these three units were amalgamated to form the Government Lymph Establishment at Hendon. Its functions were to prepare and issue sufficient vaccine to meet all epidemic emergencies, to check results and provide facilities for research. In 1919 it was taken over by the Ministry of Health.

In June 1946 the establishment was dissolved. Its work on the preparation of vaccine was returned to the Lister Institute, and responsibility for distribution passed to the Public Health Laboratory Service.