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11
SMALLPOX
In July, 1 957 notification was received by letter from a neighbouring Borough regarding
three cases of smallpox in that Borough and forwarding a list of contacts resident in Stoke
Newington. The number of these contacts was 15.
The Public Health Inspectors set about the task of visiting these contacts, checking
their movements and arranging vaccination for those who had not been vaccinated either for some
long period or at all.
A vaccination centre was set up in the Public Health Department and both residents and
non-residents were given the facilities for vaccination. Arrangements were made for an adequate
supply of lymph to be readily available to local medical practitioners and local clinics.
The Public Health Inspectors continued their visiting of the contacts every day for
sixteen days. Fortunately none of the contacts became ill with smallpox. The routine work
of the Department was put to one side while the staff, both Inspectors and Administrative, concentrated
on dealing with the many communications and telephone calls which of necessity arose
in such circumstances.
Both the Chief Public Health Inspectors and Chief Clerk remained on constant call for
any emergency and for the issue and delivery of lymph to wherever it may have been needed.
Thi3 outbreak of smallpox, while only affecting this Borough by way of contacts, stresses the
importance and value of speed and team work by the staff of the Public Health Department, and
local medical practitioners, and it is to be appreciated that such incidents place somewhat of
a burden on that staff when they are limited in numbers as in Stoke Newington.