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32
1929]
of undiagnosed Smallpox or persons known to be contacts who may eventually
show signs of the disease. The matter was again taken up in 1929 with the
Medical Officer of Health for Holborn in respect of two children who were sent to
that hospital when other members of the family had been removed with Smallpox,
no intimation being sent to the Medical Officer of Health of the district (Islington)
of such transfer. It is to be hoped that with the change over of the Poor Law
Hospitals to the London County Council better arrangements will be made in
future, and that a ward, or a small hospital, will be specially set aside for such
" suspect " cases, whom the Public Assistance Authority will, as successors to
the Guardians, have to look after, and that the practice of sending these cases
into large institutions where they come in contact with susceptible people will
cease.
Much extra work was thrown on the staff, both office and disinfecting station,
and other work had to give place temporarily to the Smallpox precautionary work.
A new leaflet on Smallpox and vaccination was distributed. Coincident with this
being done the members of the Borough Council each received a letter discrediting
vaccination and questioning statistical statements, which curiously enough must
have been taken by the Society, judging the context, from an old leaflet issued by
the previous Medical Officer years ago. Needless to say, such obvious straining
for effect by quoting obsolete matter was quite evident to the recipients, and met
w ith no response.
Diphtheria was responsible for 1,008 cases of illness, which were 57 above
the average (951) of the preceding ten years. The attack rate was equal to 3.14
per 1,000 of the civil population annually, and was 0.29 above the mean rate (2.85)
of the decennial period.
In London the attack-rate was 2.68 per 1,000, and the Encircling Boroughs
2.59.
DIPHTHERIA ANTI TOXIN.
Under the Special Order of 15th August, 1910, the then Local Government
Board sanctioned the provision by the Sanitary Authority, in pursuance of
section 77 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, of a temporary supply of
Diphtheria Anti-toxin " for the poorer inhabitants of the district, subject to the
following conditions, that is to say, the arrangements with respect to the keeping,
distribution and use of the Diphtheria Anti-toxin shall be made in accordance with
the advice of the Medical Officer of Health."
The section of the Public Health Act referred to is that which enables the
authority with the sanction of the Local Government Board to provide a temporary
supply of medicine, etc., for the poorer inhabitants of their district. (See also
page 37.)
ANTI-TOXIN TREATMENT.
During the year 98,000 units of Diphtheria Anti-toxin serum were issued to
Medical Practitioners in the Borough. Of this quantity 54,000 units were sold,
the total amount received by the Council being £3 9s. 4d. The remaining 44,000
units were given free, owing to the patients' limited means.