London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Wandsworth 1902
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth, Metropolitan Borough]
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52
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
Number of Re-vaccinations.
The total number of re-vaccinations performed during the
outbreak cannot be definitely ascertained except in the case of
the Public Vaccinators for the several districts in the Borough.
Up to the end of August 13,685 re-vaccinations were recorded by
these, and from enquiries sent to the other medical men practising
in the Borough I have ascertained that nearly 15,000 were performed.
The latter figure does not at all adequately represent the
amount of re-vaccinations, as only about one-third of the medical
men to whom a circular letter was sent replied, and large numbers
of adults were re-vaccinated by practitioners residing outside this
Borough.
Cost of the Outbreak.
The total cost of dealing with this Outbreak, as far as this Council was concerned, was £515 : 8 : i, made up as follows : —
| £ | s. | d. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanitary Inspectors' overtime | 56 | 4 | |
| Clerical Staff „ | 17 | 1 | 1 |
| Disinfecting Staff „ | 9 | ||
| Wages of two extra disinfectors | 61 | 12 | 0 |
| Approximate cost of disinfection | 187 | 10 | 0 |
| Destruction of articles | 7 | 3 | 11 |
| Compensation for damage of goods, etc. | 2 | 15 | 0 |
| „ loss of work to laundry hands and dressmakers, etc. | 87 | 2 | 2 |
| Examination of arms of children in schools | 33 | 12 | 0 |
| £515 | 8 | 1 |
Attack Rate.
The following Table shows the number of cases of Small-pox
notified, and also the rate per 10,000 of population in each of the
Metropolitan Boroughs, from the beginning of 1901 to the end of
August, 1902: —