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19
During the year ending 29th September, 1902, which practically
covers the period of the epidemic, the public vaccinators of
Hackney made 8,780 successful primary vaccinations, and 10,638
successful re-vaccinations at a cost of £4,230 10s. to the public. In
addition to this private practitioners all over the district made a
large number of vaccinations and re-vaccinations, during the
epidemic, which probably amounted to double the above number.
Information was also sent by me to the public vaccinator and
vaccination officers of every case of small-pox notified or discovered,
or of persons who had been in coutact with such cases. By this
means the whole of the occupants of these houses were offered vaccination
or re-vaccination.
(2) Other Measures.—On the notification of a case of small-pox,
it was immediately removed to the wharf shelter at Rotherhithe,
where the cases were carefully examined again by the Medical
Officers of the Asylums Board. Any mistakes of diagnosis were
there corrected, and the patients re-vaccinated before tbeir return
home. After the removal of the patient to hospital, the rooms
occupied by the patient were disinfected and cleansed, all clothes
and bedding being taken to the Municipal Steam Disinfection Station,
where they were disinfected by high pressure steam.
The masters of any schools which children in the infected
dwelling had been attending, were at the same time informed of the
circumstances, so.that these children should be excluded until such
time as they may safely return to school.
The employers of any persons residing in the infected house were
also informed of the circumstances. In the majority of cases, this
meant the exclusion from work of all such persons for two or three
weeks with a consequent loss of income. The result in the majority
cases was that many persons were reduced to the brink of starvation,
for a large number, although in great want, would not apply for
parish relief; and as a matter of fact, the guardian officials did not
like persons coming from infected homes and applying for relief,
neither did they like visiting the unfortunate contacts in their homes