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may perhaps be mentioned that a "collector" and a "piano tuner" are included among the 4,000
sufferers.
"Conveyance of Men, Goods, and Messages (6). Here there are carmen, bus and tram
drivers and conductors, cabmen and guards, but such entries do not occur in large numbers, and
probably to no greater extent than might a priori have been anticipated. Special interest attaches,
however, to eight "watermen," as it is noteworthy in these cases that the individual in question
had in almost all, if not all, cases been engaged, about the time he must have been infected, in
navigating the Thames in the neighbourhood of the smallpox ships, and in one or two cases there
is strong presumptive evidence that infection must have been air-borne. It remains to refer here
to three sorters in the General Post Office, two ticket sorters, a ticket collector, a few messengers,
porters, errand boys, etc., and three lift operators.
"Agriculture" (7) and Fishing (8) are barely, if at all, represented; there is one gardener,
it is true, but he is a "cemetery gardener."
Members of the industrial class are included by the Registrar-General under the numbers
9 to 23. In (9) Books, prints, maps, are a few book-folders, printers and bookbinders. In these
cases, as in those of brush-makers and cigarette-makers, to be later referred to, there seems to have
been some spread of disease in connection with workshops, and there is no reason for assuming the
nature of the industry had any special influence in determining smallpox incidence. In (10)
Makers of machines and implements, there are very few entries to be made. In (11) Houses,
furniture and decorators, the case is far otherwise, there are carpenters, builders, bricklayers, paperhangers,
plasterers, plumbers, and painters. The fact that at least 86 persons engaged in work
in connection with the construction of smallpox hospitals were infected accounts to a large extent
for the heavy incidence upon this class. A sister, a mother, two brothers, six wives, one friend of
a wife, four sons, and one patient of a mother, of men who had worked at smallpox hospitals were
also attacked. There also fall to be included here under the heading "funeral furniture maker—
undertaker," 16 men who removed coffins or did other duty undertaken in connection with
funerals. Again, there are numerous cleaners, charwomen, and french polishers, a window cleaner,
and two carriage cleaners. The last-named should perhaps be referred to (12) Carriages and
harness. In (13) Ships and boats, and in (14) Chemicals and compounds, there are a few or no
entries. Tobacco and pipes (15) includes a few cigarette-makers already referred to.
Under the head (16) Food and lodging reference should be made to many of the 4,000
entries. Innkeeper, publican has already been discussed in speaking of the hotel servant. There
are one or two coffee-house keepers, and in connection with lodging-house keepers (at least two
keepers and the wife of a keeper were attacked) it may be noted that seven deputies and other
members of common lodging-house staffs, three persons employed at Rowton Houses, and five
workers at Salvation Army shelters, are included in the returns. Beer sellers, cellarmen, etc.,
have been included in dealing with potmen, etc., under the heading of inn servants. It remains to
mention one or two dairymen, butchers, fishmongers and bakers, or men employed by these
tradesmen, and two or three workers in mineral water factories. Heading (18) Dress includes
numerous tailors, milliners, dressmakers, and more curiously as many as nine hairdressers, not to
mention three persons referred to as barbers. There are two dealers in ready-made clothing, and
it is no matter for surprise to find an "old clothes dealer."
Animal substances (19). There are but few cases to be allotted here, most noteworthy are
the two or three brush-makers already referred to. Vegetable substances (20) and mineral substances
(21) may be dismissed without further comment. General or unspecified commodities (22)
includes pawnbrokers (represented by three cases, including pawnbrokers' assistants), costermongers,
hawkers, street-sellers (of watercress and flowers; newspaper boys have been already
alluded to). The number under these headings is not surprising, having regard to the extent
to which common lodging-houses were involved. Several of the women are entered as "unfortunates."
Under the heading (22) should presumably also be included "labourers," "machinists,"
etc.
Refuse matters (23) is a heading of importance, as there are among the small-pox cases
entries to be relegated to town drainage service, scavengers, and rag-gatherers. There are two
rag-and-bone dealers, two paper sorters, five dust sifters, four dustmen, and five rag-sorters; there
are further two lavatory attendants. The unoccupied class (24) is represented by numerous
entries such as ''unemployed," "tramp," and "gipsy."
The replies of the medical officers of health furnish a good deal of interesting information
under the heading "further remarks." Thus it has already been noted that in 18 instances publichouses
are credited with having been the source of infection; in other instances a club, theatre,
school, or omnibus is thought to have been incriminated, one patient believed she was infected
at a dance, another on Boat Race day. at least three sufferers had stood in the crowd round an
Asylums Board ambulance, and one had looked out of an open window and watched the removal
of a case; in one instance it is noted that the patient was removed from a house in the near
neighbourhood of the South Wharf. In 19 cases persons had visited the ships on the day when
they may have been infected, and eight others thought they had been infected while waiting in
out-patient rooms of hospitals. In six instances the question of return cases" is raised, and
five other persons are presumed to have been infected by reason of the existence of means of
communication (other than such as has already been specified) between them and the Asylums
Board Wharf or hospitals. In more than a hundred instances it is recorded that infection
was traceable to a previous case erroneously supposed for a time to be one of chickenpox.
Apart from varicella, supposed influenza seems to have been the chief source of trouble.
Finally, it may be stated that at least three instances are mentioned of escape of the patient
after the diagnosis had been made, and while the ambulance was being fetched.
W. H. Hamer,
Assistant Medical Officer of Health.