View report page

37
SMALL-POX.
A case of this disease was notified on August 26th. The patient was at once removed
to hospital, the premises were disinfected and all contacts vaccinated. No other cases occurred.
The patient was a widow, aged 54, stated to have been vaccinated in infancy only.
The illness began on August 10th, the rash appearing on the 13th; but the nature of the
complaint was not recognised until the 26th. Fortunately the patient never left her room
from the first day of the illness until she was removed to hospital.
In investigating the source of infection, it was found that a young girl living in the
same house had recently suffered from what had been diagnosed as “Chicken-pox.” On
examining this girl, it was evident, from the distribution of the rash, that she had really
suffered from an attack of very mild small-pox. The primary source of infection could not be
ascertained; but it was probably brought from the Midlands or North of England, where mild
small-pox has been prevalent for some time. During the summer, a constant succession of
visitors from these districts had been coming to London for the Wembley Exhibition, and
had stayed at the house in question. It is therefore possible that the infection may have
originated from this source, and this view is supported by the fact that the type of disease was
similar to that prevalent in the districts mentioned.
In addition to the above, cases of small-pox occurred during the year in several
Boroughs within the Metropolitan area, and contacts with these cases were kept under
observation during the requisite incubation period.
VACCINATION.
Tue following table is drawn up from returns, kindly supplied by the Clerk to the
Guardians, in respect of children whose births were registered in the Parish of St. Pancras from
January 1st to December 31st, 1923:—