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From January of the year 1902 to the end of October, 7,788
cases were notified in London. In this Borough 188 certificates
were received, dealing with 139 cases, of these 6 were returned
as not Small-Pox (two cases which do not appear in the total
were dealt with as Small-Pox, but on being returned home as
errors of diagnosis, the certificates were withdrawn). Two
cases were sent to the Fever Hospital as Scarlet Fever, but
were there found to be suffering from Small-Pox.
Two cases died at home, and both were removed to the
Mortuary; one case was an infant who was born whilst the
mother was suffering from Small-Pox, and died within 15 days,
the other an adult; in the latter case the body was buried within
48 hours after death.
Twenty-eight secondary cases were notified; they occurred in
15 different houses, and were thus distributed: 4 houses had
each 3 cases, 9 houses had 2 cases each, one house had 5 cases
(4 in one family), and another had 7 cases (2 families). These
secondary cases arose chiefly from the delay or refusal to be
vaccinated or re-vaccinated after contact with the first case.
Source of infection (excepting the secondary cases) could
only be traced in 9 cases, viz.: 3 cases to Newington Causeway,
1 to Essex (Ingatestone), 2 to Sydenham, 3 to Gore Farm
Hospital (one, the patient worked at the Hospital), one, the
patient, a Railway Guard, came in contact with the workmen
returning to and from the Small-Pox Hospital at Gore Farm,
one patient was visited by a nurse from the Hospital, 14 days
before the rash appeared.
To assist medical practitioners in the diagnosis of doubtful
cases of Small-Pox the County Council appointed certain
medical men to act in consultation. Every case, however, was
removed to the South Wharf Shelters at Rotherhithe, and if
found to be suffering from Small-Pox sent on to the Hospital
Ship at Long Reach. If the case was doubtful it was detained
for observation, and if it proved not to be Small-Pox the
patient was vaccinated or re-vaccinated and sent home,
information at the same time being forwarded to the Medical
Officer of Health.