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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Poplar 1929
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Poplar, Metropolitan Borough]
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94
TABLE II.
Showing the Ages, Sex and Vaccinated State of Cases of Smallpox Notified in Poplar during 1929.
| Ages. | Under 5 years. | 5— | 10— | 15— | 20— | 35— | 45— | 65 and over. | All Ages. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vaccinated | M. | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 8 |
| F. | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 4 | — | 7 | |
| Unvaccinated | M. | 7 | 21 | 13 | 6 | 17 | 1 | — | — | 65 |
| F. | 8 | 15 | 16 | 12 | 18 | 7 | — | — | 76 | |
| Doubtful (no marks) | M. | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 |
| F. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Totals | 15 | 36 | 29 | 18 | 37 | 14 | 7 | 1 | 157 | |
The type of the disease continued to remain mild, only one death
occurring, and that in a premature infant whose mother had contracted
the disease before confinement.
The disease did not invade Common Lodging Houses or Casual
Wards, cases coming only from private dwellings and hospitals.
It is customary in Poplar for the Medical Officer of Health or one
of his Assistants to visit every case of Smallpox with a view to confirming
the diagnosis and to note, if possible, any change in type.
Owing to the mildness of the epidemic and the fact that Chickenpox
was also prevalent in the district cases of Chickenpox were visited,
and the services of the Metropolitan Asylums Board's Consultants were
frequently made use of and greatly appreciated.
With the exception of the two under-mentioned cases, all the patients
were seen by a Medical Officer of the Department before their removal
to hospital:—
(a) A child of 9 years was admitted to the London Hospital
with Appendicitis on 16th May, and removed from there
with Smallpox on 19th May.