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particular tenements infected to neighbouring tenements.
The usual precautions were taken.
8. 4 shops, 3 dining-rooms, and 6 public-houses were infected
during the epidemic, but in no single instance did the
disease spread. The usual precautions were taken, and in
no case was the business interfered with.
9. Infected clothes and carpets appear to have caused the
disease in Lambeth Borough in 3 instances—in 2 from
outside districts (wearing apparel and carpets), and in 1
in Lambeth through the medium of washing underclothing
infected from a case of Smallpox. Bearing in mind the
actual danger that exists of Smallpox spreading through
the sorting or washing of infected clothes, careful enquiries
have been made in each notified case of Smallpox
in Lambeth as to the laundry or laundries in use, and all
suspected, or possibly dangerous clothes, have been traced,
taken to the Disinfecting Chamber, and disinfected with
steam, and afterwards washed or re-washed. This part of
the work has been extensive, on account of several large
laundries suspected, and much extra trouble involved; but
that this extra trouble was justified will be admitted from
a comparison of the one case only in Lambeth that has
been traced to infected clothes as compared with the large
numbers of cases reported from other districts in this connection.
Lambeth's experience of last year in connection
with an outbreak of Typhoid Fever spread through infected
mangles suggested special precautions being taken
during the Smallpox epidemic in regard to laundries and
infected clothes. A notice was sent to the occupiers of
each infected house prohibiting the sending of infected
clothes to the Public Wash-houses.
10. The small percentage (12.1) of cases, the sources of which
are not satisfactorily accounted for, is cause for congratulation,
and may be regarded as some indication of the care
displayed in investigating the different origins of the
disease. Upon the care with which such investigations
are carried out depends much of the success of dealing with
Smallpox outbreaks.