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

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Finsbury 1902

Report on the public health of 1902

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50
Under this heading it may also be mentioned that whilst there has
been a mortality rate of 14 per cent., there has also been a considerable
number of extremely mild cases of the disease. In several such cases
the rash has been almost absent and only detected after a most careful
examination. These mild, and often unrecognized cases are infectious
to other persons, and in some cases give rise to a serious and even
fatal attack. Not a little of the outbreak under consideration can
be directly traced back to such cases. It would, therefore, be well
if medical practitioners and heads of families would draw the
attention of the Sanitary Authorities to every suspicious case of
small-pox.
From this table, and from the table on page 43, it will be seen
that in only ten of these cases of death had there been vaccination
as far as could be ascertained, and in no case had there been
vaccination within ten years or revaccination at any time whatever.
It will further be noticed that, of the vaccinated cases, one per
cent. only died under 20 years of age, and this was an invalid boy;
whereas, of the unvaccinated cases, 33 per cent. died under 20 years
of age.

The causes of death may be tabulated as follows:—

Causes of Death.Vaccinated in Infancy only.Unvaccinated.Unknown.Totals.
Confluent Small-pox319123
Hœmorrhagic Small-pox6219
Discrete Small-pox1528
Totals1026440

5. Methods of Prevention.—This subject was discussed
in detail in the Report for 1901, pp. 51-56. The same methods
were adopted with strictness throughout the Epidemic. It is
unnecessary here to do more than name the chief preventive
methods adopted : (a) encouragement of early notification ; (b)
immediate isolation ; (c) thorough and immediate disinfection;