Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Poplar, Metropolitan Borough]
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91
Vaccinal Condition of Patients.
63 of the 68 notified cases were unvaccinated. 4 patients over 50 years
of age and 1 patient 37 years of age had not been vaccinated since infancy.
SOURCE OF INFECTION.
The mildness of the type of infection rendered the tracing of the source
of infection very difficult. In several instances the primary case in a
household has only been discovered when subsequent cases in the family
with a more profuse or more marked rash have been reported, or have been
discovered when examining and following up contacts.
| "Missed" case in house (Not notified—noninfectious when discovered). | 68 NOTIFIED CASES. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary case in house. | Subsequent cases associated with primary cases | ||||
| Not traced. | Other cases in immediate neighbourhood. | Imported. | In same house. | Elsewhere inBorough. | |
* 1 each from Newcastle-on-Tyne, Portsmouth, Kent hopfields, and West Ham.
ACTION TAKEN.
(a) Contacts.—Between 26th March and 31st December no less than
1,285 contacts have been kept under observation; the total visits paid by
the Sanitary Inspectors to those resident in the Borough numbered 9,242.
This does not include contacts (Staff and Patients) in St. Andrews Hospital,
of whom 732 were vaccinated. Of the 1,285 contacts visited only 343 were
vaccinated or re-vaccinated. In addition to following up contacts
house-to-house inspections have been carried out in several affected areas,
and leaflets have been left at each house explaining the signs and symptoms
of Smallpox, and urging the necessity for seeking medical advice should
eruptions appear, and also urging vaccination or re-vaccination.
(b) School Medical Inspections, Absentees, etc.—At the request of the
Public Health Department medical inspection of school children was
carried out by the London County Council staff at several schools.
Arrangements were made for the immediate notification of absentees, in