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122
The members of the patient's family (wife and three children) were
admitted into the Council's shelter, where they were bathed and their
clothes disinfected. They remained in the shelter until the afternoon of
6th January whilst the premises where the case occurred were being
disinfected. The wife refused to remain any longer at the shelter,
although an endeavour was made to persuade her to stop with her
children and be fed for fourteen days (the incubation period of smallpox),
but she refused, electing to return home. Upon being questioned she
stated she was without means and would have to apply to the Board of
Guardians for relief. She refused to stay in the shelter even if her arrears
in rent and if her concurrent rent were paid by the Council.
A sailor (coloured man), who slept for ten days up to and including
Sunday, 2nd January, in the same part of the house as the patient, was
traced to an address in Canning Town, West Ham, having moved there
from the Borough of Poplar on 3rd January. The Medical Officer of
Health for West Ham was informed. The sailor arrived from Barbadoes
on 18th December on the R.M.S. "Dee," and came to lodge with patient ;
the Port Medical Officer of Health for London was duly informed of this
and also of the sailor's new address in West Ham.
On account of a child belonging to the family occupying the lower
part of the house having gone to stay with relatives in Bethnal Green,
the Medical Officer of Health for that Borough was informed of the case.
A man living in Poplar, who had also been in contact with the
patient, was reported to be well in health and working in the Millwall
Docks.
All the inmates of the premises, with the exception of the coloured
sailor, were reported to have been vaccinated in infancy, and all the
members of the patient's family were re-vaccinated on 4th January whilst
in the Council's shelter.
In order to keep the inmates of the house under observation, daily
calls were made.