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81
Sir Edwin H. Galsworthy, Chairman of the Asylums'
Board, directed a copy of this report to be sent to every
Medical Officer of Health in the Metropolis with the view
"for the adoption of some measures for preventing the further
spread of the disease in London, and suggesting that one
most effective means to that end would be a systematic
Medical inspection of casual wards, shelters, common
lodging-houses, &c., through the agency of which it would
appear there is risk of the disease being widely disseminated."
Upon receipt of the letter and extract from the Clerk to
the Metropolitan Asylums' Board, I sent the following
circular letter to the several owners of the common lodginghouses
(49) in this District, as an inducement for them
to report to the proper authorities the existence of illness
among their inmates :—
197, High Holborn, W.C.
Sanitary Department, February, 1893.
Sir,
Small-pox has again broken out in London. Most of the
sufferers have been persons who frequent casual wards, shelters, and
common lodging-houses, and whose mode of life has peculiar facilities
for spreading infection.
It is most desirable to arrest and stamp out the disease if possible,
may I therefore ask you in the event of any persons, who may lodge
at your house, complaining of sickness, that you will immediately
obtain from the Believing Officer at Short's Gardens, a Medical
Order.
The symptoms of small-pox in its earlier stages are usually bad
pains in the head and back, and general sickness, followed by a rash.
May I ask if any persons lodging in your house exhibit signs of
this sickness to immediately communicate with me.
I am, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
S. R. LOYETT,
Medical Officer of Health.
G