View report page

64
of the ambulance when she called. After doing this he came on to
the Board's offices, where the cases were telephoned or telegraphed to
Norfolk House, Strand. The disinfector rode over on the same day
and disinfected the rooms. Notices of urgent disinfecting work were
left at his residence. The rooms were sulphured; the disinfector
was provided with a brass syringe with which he damped the walls
and ceilings so that the sulphurous acid might be absorbed; the walls
were stripped of the paper, then together with the ceiling limewhited,
and all the woodwork washed with carbolic acid. Vaccination and
re-vaccination advised; the premises kept under constant daily
supervision, and when the patient was found to work at any place I sent
immediate information to his employers. During the last quarter of
the year 1893, a very serious epidemic threatened the poor and
densely populated region surrounding Hawgood Street. I communicated
with the Clerk to the Guardians, with the result that the
district was placarded with notices advising the inhabitants to avail
themselves of vaccination or re-vaccination, handbills were distributed
in the infected districts, and also left by the Sanitary Inspectors and
the Disinfector at theinfectedhouses. I informed as soon as possible the
Vaccination Officer, Public Vaccinator and District Medical Officer
of the existence of any case. The disease was no doubt spread by
the utter carelessness and disregard of the inhabitants who visited
one another when there was sickness in the house ; this visiting did
not apply only to Hawgood Street and its surroundings, but to other
parts of Bromley and Poplar, for in tracing out the origin of the
cases it was generally found to be brought about in this manner. I
am indeed thankful to report that by adopting all the above-mentioned
measures and precautions the disease was stamped out, and I consider
that special thanks are due to the District Medical Officer, Dr.
Lightburne, who visited the Homes without waiting for the Relieving
Officer's orders, thereby expediting the speedy removal and the
isolation of the patients. Two of the Board's men engaged in the
disinfecting work contracted the disease, but I am pleased to say
they both recovered and are at work again.