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30
History of the Smallpox Epidemic in
Lambeth Borough, 1901-2.
(Spccial Report by the Medical Officer of Health).
Smallpox, which had been quiescent for many years in London,
broke out in epidemic form (probably imported, during August,
1902, from Paris in the first instance, and spread through a
suburban laundry) in the N.W. Districts (St. Pancras and St.
Marylebone), and slowly (but steadily) increased, spreading
eventually into all other parts of London. The Table
on page 67 gives the total cases in London and Lambeth
removed to the Hospitals of the Asylums Board,
together with the number of deaths, since 1885, the
year in which Smallpox patients were first removed away from
London. The first case that appeared in Lambeth Borough was
notified on August 27th, 1901, at 11, Meadow Place, South Lambeth
Road (Henry O., aged 50 years), and was traced to St. Pancras
Borough, where at that time the Smallpox was spreading
rapidly. This was the only case in Lambeth in August, and in
September 2 further cases occurred, followed bv 11 in October,
18 in November, and 22 in December—making a total of 54 up to
the end of the year 1901. Since then, 350 additional Smallpox
cases have been notified in Lambeth Borough, so that the total
number of cases that have occurred during the epidemic in Lambeth
is 404, and of these 64 have died, giving a death-rate of
15.8 per cent.
Of the 404 notified cases, 220 were males and 184 females,
whilst of the 220 males, 177 were vaccinated and 43 unvaccinated ;
and of the 184 females, 148 were vaccinated and 36 unvaccinated.
6 of the cases notified were stated to have been also re-vaccinated,
and 2 to have had previous attacks of Smallpox, but both the
re-vaccinations and the previous attacks of Smallpox took place
many years ago (in each instance over 20 years). The ages of
the re-vaccinated cases were—
Males : 37, 46, 48 years.
Females : 34, 35, 40 years.
and in two instances (Henry H, aged 48, and Kate B., aged 40)
death resulted.
The two men who were stated to have had previous attacks of
Smallpox, were 38 and 44 years of age respectively, and of these
one (Alfred T.), aged 44, died.