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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Chelsea 1902
Annual report for 1902 of the Medical Officer of Health
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13
Section II.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
Small-Pox.
During the year 1902, 37 cases of small-pox were notified in the
Borough of Chelsea, including one case whioh was notified as smallpox,
but after a stay of two days at the M.A.B. Isolation Wharf, was
returned home as not suffering from Small-pox. In addition, 4 other
cases were brought to my knowledge as having almost certainly been
cases of the disease, but they were not recognized at the time of the
illness, and were consequently not notified. Six cases were notified in
the year 1901, between the 21st August and the end of the year, so
that the total for the epidemic period, which may be taken as existing
between August, 1901, and August, 1902, is 43 notified cases, and 47
cases in all brought to my knowledge.
The following Table represents the facts as to the state of vaccination of the 47 patients so far as they could be obtained.
| Cases. | Deaths. | Fatality. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vaccinated in infancy | 30 | 3 | 10% |
| Never vaccinated | 7 | 5 | 71 „ |
| No information as to vaccination | 7 | 0 | 0 „ |
| Had small-pox previously | 1 | 0 | 0 „ |
| Vaccinated (primary, 10 days before onset) | 1 | 0 | 0 „ |
| Re-vaccinated (successfully, 3 months before onset) | 1 | 0 | 0 „ |
| 47 | 8 | 17% |
In the case of the patient who had been successfully revaccinated
3 months before the onset of the illness, the latter was so mild as to be
somewhat doubtful in character. The probabilities, however, were
strongly in favour of the disease being modified small-pox.
The case where primary vaccination was performed successfully
10 days before the onset of the disease, was that of a woman aged
18, never previously vaccinated, who visited the Hospital Ships on the
21st April to see her sister, who was ill there with small-pox. In this
case the disease assumed a mild form, the patient being discharged
after 29 days detention in hospital.