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23
Small-pox.
During the year, considering the prevalence of Small-pox in practically
every other district in London, the number of cases notified in
Hampstead were comparatively few, no more than 17 occurring: the
first on the first day of the year, and the final case being reported in
the middle of June, since which date no case has been reported.
A reference to the Table on pages 25 and 26 shews that the disease
was, as in the previous year, principally confined to the districts west of
Finchley Road.
Particulars in connection with the various cases are to be found in
tabular form on pages 25 and 26.
With regard to vaccination, in no instance had recent vaccination
been performed, and in those persons who had been re-vaccinated the
disease took on a distinctly milder type.
The mortality was nil.
The usual personal supervision on the part of myself and the Senior
Sanitary Inspector was carried out, and to this and the careful tracing
of persons who had been in contact with the patients, as well as to the
prompt action on the part of the Vaccination authority, I attribute the
absence of any secondary case arising in the several houses infected.
The temporary shelter for persons who might be disturbed during
the process of the disinfection of their homes was only in one instance
used, but that instance alone proved the value of the provision of such
accommodation. A case occurred in a family occupying a single room,
the disinfection of which could not be carried out during their occupancy.
The family was therefore provided with apartments at the shelter and
maintained there until their house had been disinfected and they were
themselves free from the risk of spreading infection.