London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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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
Lambeth 1905
Report on the vital and sanitary statistics of the Borough of Lambeth during the year 1905
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46
SMALLPOX.
During 1905 no single case of genuine Smallpox was notified,
nor was a single death from Smallpox registered, within the
Borough. One doubtful case (male, G7 years) was removed to
hospital from the Lambeth Infirmary, but the patient proved to
be suffering from Erythema, and was, consequently, re-vaccinated
and returned to the Infirmary. Four other doubtful cases were
reported to the Medical Officer of Health, who visited the
patients and found them suffering from Porriginous Eczema (1)
and Chickenpox (3).
31 "contacts" were watched for 16 days within the Borough during 1905, in connection with Smallpox cases that had occurred on board vessels arriving from abroad, as follows :—
| Name of Vessel. | No. of " Contacts." | Name of Vessel. | No. of "Contacts." | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assaye (March) | 4 | Fingal (May) | 3 | |
| Soudan (March) | 4 | Commonwealth | ||
| Macedonia (March) | (September) | 1 | ||
| Plassy (April) | 4 | Vesta (September) | 2 | |
| Sicilia (April) | 2 | Viola (September) | 1 | |
| Malvina (May) | 2 | Balgownie (October) | 1 | |
| Kenihvorth Castle | Ophelia (October) | 1 | ||
| (May) | 3 | Galeka (October) | 1 | |
| Total | 31 | |||
In no single instance did Smallpox develop amongst these
" contacts."
In London 74 cases of Smallpox were notified, and 10 deaths
(uncorrected) were registered from the same disease, giving a
case-mortality (uncorrected) of 13.5 per cent.