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24
A case of small-pox having been imported into the Parish
from Hull, I investigated the matter and submitted the
following Report to the Committee of Works:—
With regard to the letter from the Medical Officer of
Health of Hull, in respect to the man Robinson, whose
wife was attacked with small-pox at 3, Whittaker Street,
I beg to report as follows :—
I visited the case in question with the Medical Attendant,
who requested me to do so, on Saturday, January 27th, and
finding that it was a case of small-pox, I had the woman
removed the same day.
I ascertained that the husband had been employed on
some buildings in the precincts of the Small-pox Hospital at
Hull, which he left on December 23rd, 1899. It appears
that he had some sort of eruption on his skin, but was not
laid up, and shortly afterwards he went to work at Orset,
near Grays.
I have very little doubt that he was suffering from a mild
attack of modified small-pox and that his wife caught it
from him.
He states that he was not re-vaccinated before he went to
Hull, nor when there, as he refused to have the operation
performed.
He has also stated to the Chief Sanitary Inspector that
while at work he was on the roof and within hand reach of
the ventilators of a ward in which there were small-pox
patients. He, moreover, states that the persons bringing
small-pox patients to the hospital and the persons engaged
in the removal of infected bedding freely associated with the
workmen, and that no steps were taken to prevent it.
The Medical Officer of Health of Hull, in his letter, states
that Robinson and others on the completion of their work
suddenly left " without the knowledge of the Resident
Medical Officer or Inspector of Nuisances." From this it is