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1928] 32
The Medical Officer of Health was able to persuade all the inmates with the exception
of an old lady of over 80 years, who stated that she had actually had smallpox, and
one man, to be vaccinated or re-vaccinated. There were no fresh cases in this house,
or in Islington. The landlord of the house saw the Medical Officer of Health, and the
room occupied by the patient was stripped. It had previously been disinfected, and
the walls were re-papered. From the occurrence of the case until the period of 15 days
was passed, the Sanitary Inspector of the District, Mr. Wood, paid a daily visit to
the house and reported from time to time to the Medical Officer of Health, who kept
the patients under observation until it was certain their vaccination was established.
As regards cases notified, and not confirmed (there were three of these in
Islington), one, a girl of 13 years of age, had been brought by her parents from Grays,
Essex, where she had been staying, was seen by a doctor on arrival in Islington,
certified as Smallpox, and removed, but the hospital did not confirm the diagnosis.
The incident, however, shows what happens in many cases of infectious disease
in the country, how the patients are rushed away. Another case unverified was an
infant who was packed off to hospital before the Medical Officer of Health received
information from the Metropolitan Asylums Board and got to the house. This
case was returned forthwith from the hospital. The third unverified case was a man
who was seen by the Medical Officer of Health and Dr. Sturdee, of the Ministry
of Health, at the request of the patient's doctor. On the advice of the Ministry's
Specialist this case was certified and sent to hospital. After being retained for some
days the diagnosis was not confirmed. The circumstances of this patient's return was
the subject of correspondence, at the request of the Public Health Committee, with
the Metropolitan Asylums Board.
On Sunday evening, the 12th February, 1928, the Medical Officer of Health
was telephoned by the Medical Superintendent, Dr. Evans, of the above Hospital,
and forthwith went to the hospital, where he saw in Ward 9 a Hawker who had been
in the hospital since the 12th September, 1927, when he was admitted from the
City Road Institution, Shepherdess Walk. He was suffering from Smallpox.
On going into the matter he ascertained that the Medical Superintendent had
received a communication from the Medical Officer of Health of Holborn regarding
a man who had been discovered in a Hostel in Holborn suffering from Smallpox.
It was ascertained that this man had left Ward 10 of the Holborn and Finsbury
Hospital on the 30th January, 1928, and further ascertained by telephone that
same evening (12th February) that there was a case of Smallpox in City Road Institution,
Shepherdess Walk. This last case had left Ward 10 of the Holborn and
Finsbury Hospital on the 26th January, 1928. Here then were, besides the new
case discovered, two other men suffering from Smallpox who had been in the hospital.
It was evident that there must be some common source of infection.
It was discovered later that according to statements made by the two men
suffering elsewhere, that another man had been dismissed on the 26th January
The assistance of the Police was invoked by us to try if possible to trace this man
in case he should be suffering from Smallpox and have been the cause of the outbreak.
This was proved rather elusive. He was reported by the Police to have been in
Westminster and St. Marylebone, but was at last located on the 16th February at the
Metropolitan Asylums Board Casual Ward, Gainsborough Road, Hackney. He was
seen by Dr. Sturdee, of the Ministry of Health, and removed to the Metropolitan
Asylums Board Hospital.