London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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London County Council 1897

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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22
St. Olave.—The only person known to be attacked with smallpox was the house surgeon
of a hospital.
Lambeth.—Of two cases certified to be smallpox, one was probably chicken-pox.
Battersea.—Of five cases certified to be smallpox, only one was a genuine case. The patient
was a man employed at the docks, where the disease was probably contracted.
Wandsworth (Putney and Roehampton).—A man who had contracted his disease on the passage
from India was certified to be suffering from smallpox. (Streatham) —One case was certified in this
district.
Camberwell.—The report of the medical officer of health contains an account of an outbreak of
smallpox having its orgin in the attack by smallpox of an unvaccinated boy, aged six years, who was
admitted from 128, Glengall-road into the Camberwell Infirmary on the 22nd January, under the
mistaken impression that he was suffering from meningitis. The medical officer of health thus refers
to subsequent cases.
Between the 3rd and 20th February there were sixteen cases notified from the infirmary, and in
addition to these there were four persons attacked, who either had been engaged there as workers, or
who had been recently discharged. Moreover, while these events were going on at the infirmary, the
disease was spreading in the house whence the boy had been removed to the infirmary, and not only in
the house but also at 138 in the same road, which was inhabited by relatives of the family in No. 128.
In Downes-street, too, an unvaccinated boy, who had been discharged from the infirmary on February 5th,
was first of all considered to be suffering from scarlet fever on February 9th, but it was afterwards
found to be a case of smallpox. He was removed on February 9th, but not before he had infected a
brother and sister, both unvaccinated, who were removed later in the month.
Two cases were removed from No. 25. Bridson-street. On making inquiry at this house I discovered
that about a fortnight before, a child had died from supposed measles, but before her death she had,
according to her friends' statement, spots about her. Looking at the subsequent result it is most
likely that this was unrecognised smallpox.
Greenwich.—One case of smallpox was notified in each of the parishes of Greenwich and
Deptford.
Lee (Eltham).—A child, aged two years, was certified to be suffering from smallpox and
removed to hospital, but immediately discharged. The medical officer of health expresses doubt as to
the diagnosis.
Woolwich.—Two persons were certified to be suffering from smallpox, the diagnosis of one case
was erroneous.
Since 1880 the Registrar-General has classified the deaths from smallpox under three heads,
viz., "vaccinated," "unvaccinated," and " no statement." The totals of the 17 years 1881-97 are as
follows—

Smallpox deaths, London, 1881-97.

Age-period.All ages.0-11-55-2020-4040-6060-8080 and upwards.
Vaccinated1,2822233229730226393
Unvaccinated2,031337486669415105181
No statement1,906244227455666249623

The following table, in which the number of deaths at each age-period is expressed as a percentage
of the total deaths from smallpox at "all ages," more clearly indicates the relative age incidence
of the disease in the three classes under consideration.

"All ages" taken as 100.

Age-period.All ages.0-11-55-2020-4040-6060-8080 and upwards.
Vaccinated1001.72.617.957.017.63.00.2
Unvaccinated10016.623.933.020.45.20.90.0
No statement10012.811.923.834.913.13.30.2

" Vaccinated" and, "no statement" combined.

"Vaccinated" and "No statement"1008.38.221.443.814.93.20.2
Unvaccinated10016.623.933.020.45.20.90.0

The report of the Statistical Committee of the Metropolitan Asylums Board for 1897 supplies
the following figures, showing the state as to vaccination of the patients suffering from smallpox,
admitted into the institutions of the Board during the year—