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Supervision of Contacts.—The names and addresses of all
persons who had been in contact with the patients were
obtained where possible, and a close supervision was kept over
such persons by the Inspectors and Medical Officer of Health.
A considerable number of cases were discovered in this way.
Information respecting contacts was freely exchanged with the
Medical Officers of Health in other districts, the telephone
being found invaluable in this connection.
In all, seventy cases were brought to light by the staff of
the Health Department in the course of our investigations.
Vaccination.—As soon as a case was discovered, a
notification was at once sent to the Vaccination Officer and
to the Public Vaccinator of the district, and every effort was
made to secure the vaccination or re-vaccination of every person
who had come in contact with the patient. These efforts were
usually successful. In spite of the strong local feeling against
vaccination, a considerable number of persons were vaccinated
during the outbreak. From information supplied me by local
medical practitioners, I have estimated that the number of
vaccinations and re-vaccinations, exclusive of primary vaccinations
of infants, performed in Battersea from October Ist, 1901,
to June 30th, 1902, was about 27,000. Not one of these
persons was attacked, except a few who were re-vaccinated
after Small-pox had been contracted.
In February a meeting of the London Sanitary Authorities,
convened by the Holborn Borough Council, was held at the
offices of the Metropolitan Asylums Board to consider "whether
the measures adopted in dealing with the outbreak could be
improved, with a view to the more effective suppression of
the disease." The London County Council and upwards of
twenty Borough Councils sent delegates, Battersea being
represented by Councillors Dr. McManus, W. Watts, A. W.
Raynor and the Medical Officer of Health. The resolutions
adopted were as follows:—
I. That, in the opinion of the Conference, the powers
and duties at present vested in Guardians of the Poor,
with regard to Vaccination and re-Vaccination, should
be transferred to and enforced by Borough Councils.