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The first case to appear in Deptford was on October 29th,
1901, in a common lodging-house, in which there were no less
than 213 lodgers. Prompt measures were adopted, and I am
glad to say no other case occurred on the premises.
On receipt of a Notification of Small-Pox, the premises were
visited immediately, at whatever hour of the day or night, and
enquiries made as to the source of infection, the names and
ages of all the inmates noted, the place of occupation of the
patient, the names and addresses of all persons who had been
in contact with the case, and the schools attended by the
children, the conditions as to vaccination and re-vaccination so
far as could be ascertained.
The Ambulance Service of the Metropolitan Asylums Board
was at once communicated with by telephone or otherwise, and
in no case was there any delay in removing the patient.
A copy of the Notification was sent to the Metropolitan
Asylums Board, to the Medical Officer of Health of the
London County Council, and to the head teachers of the
London Board Schools and Private Schools attended by any of
the children from the infected house. The Medical Officers of
Health were communicated with in whose district any person
residing or working outside this borough who had in any way
been in contact with a case of Small-Pox.
Inaccordance with the Local Government Board's instruction,
the Vaccination Officer of the Board of Guardians (the Local
Authority for vaccination purposes) was immediately informed
of each case, and every information given him, as far as possible,
as to children and others unprotected by vaccination.
All infected premises were visited, and the occupants kept
under constant supervision until free from infection.
All infected rooms were fumigated with sulphur, and afterwards
the walls were stripped of paper; ceilings, floors and
walls thoroughly washed with carbolic acid; bed, bedding,
clothing, &c., removed to the Council's Wharf and disinfected
by steam and returned.