1966 smallpox outbreak in the united kingdom 1966 smallpox outbreak in the united kingdom the 1966 smallpox outbreak in the united kingdom was an outbreak of mild smallpox which began with tony mclennan, a photographer at the medical school in birmingham, which housed a smallpox laboratory and where 12 years later a fatal smallpox outbreak would occur, also beginning with a medical photographer. the east wing of the university of birmingham medical school