View report page

132
I was informed that a son of Mrs. B., named Arthur, had been home
from work for some weeks, suffering, it was said, from blood poisoning
and eczema. He had gone again to work that morning. I could
not learn the name nor the address of the firm he was working with,
so called again in the evening, when he had returned from wort
I found he had really been suffering from smallpox, and had not
yet recovered, there being still dried-up crusts of the vesicles scattered
over his face and body. I notified him (Case 3) as suffering from
smallpox, and had him removed to hospital. The history of this
case was as follows:— On the 1st February he felt unwell, havin;
pains in the head and back with fits of shivering, and went to the
Cripplegate Dispensary in the City, where he was told he had
influenza, and was sent home with some medicine. He took tolls
bed, but did not improve ; so on the 5th, as an eruption had in in
meantime appeared on his body, he called in a local practitioner,
who informed him he was suffering from blood poisoning and eczema
He was visited several times at his home by this doctor and treated
up till the 25th February, when he visited the surgery and was
informed by the doctor's locum tenens that he might go to work on
the following Monday, February 27th.
Enquiry of Arthur B. revealed the fact that a young woman
(R. F.), living in Shoreditch, had visited him several times during
his illness. I communicated this fact and her address to the Medical
Officer of Health to that Borough, who informed me at a later date
that she had contracted smallpox, and had been removed to hospital,
This was not the end of the mischief, for the sister of this young
woman was also subsequently removed to hospital suffering from
the same disease.
Action taken to Prevent the Spread of Infection.
1. Vaccination and Re-vaccination of Contacts.—Notices
were sent to the Vaccination Officer and Public Vaccinator on
February 27th, informing them of the cases of smallpox, and asking
steps to be taken with a view to the inmates of the infected houses