London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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London County Council 1903

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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19
Camberwell.—Eighteen cases were notified in the borough ; one was an imported case, a
group of others occurred in connection with the Remand Home at Camberwell-green ; a further
series of cases occurred in Dragon-road and two isolated cases occurred.
Deptford.—Two cases occurred, one in a common lodging-house.
Woolwich.—Six cases occurred in the borough, three were inmates of the workhouse.
The steps taken by the London County Council in 1903 related especially to the inspection
of the inmates of common lodging-houses which were invaded by smallpox, and aimed at securing
the immediate removal of any lodgers who were attacked, and the continued residence in the houses
of the lodgers who had been exposed to infection, so that these lodgers could be under daily inspection.
Altogether 16 common lodging-houses were invaded, and 33 cases of smallpox occurred
among the inmates. Mr. Bingham was employed by the Council in the inspection of the inmates of
these houses from 23rd October to the 3rd December. During the year medical officers of health
forwarded to the Council's Public Health Department particulars of cases of smallpox which
occurred in their districts, and this information was at once communicated by the department
to all medical officers of health in London. The order requiring chicken-pox to be notified
expired on the 6th January, and was not renewed during the year.
In the several districts the procedure followed by medical officers of health in the preceding
year was continued. Recognise'd cases of smallpox were removed to hospital; effort was
made to discover any cases of unrecognised smallpox in association with those which were notified,
and persons known to be directly exposed to smallpox infection were offered vaccination, ard
were kept under observation until the period of incubation had expired. In Southwark, as already
stated, pecuniary inducement was offered to the inmates of common lodging-houses. Owing to
the prevalence of the disease being smaller than in 1902, in a large number of cases the soiirce of
infection of particular cases was discovered.

The report of the Statistical Committee of the Metropolitan Asylums Board for the year 1903 contains a tabular statement showing the condition as to vaccination of smallpox patients received into hospital, from which the following table has been prepared—

Admissions.Deaths.
A. Vaccinated class—
(A1) Half and upwards of half square inch total area of cicatrices1824
(A2) One-third but less than half ditto253
(A3) Less than one-third ditto34
(A4) Areas not recorded4
Total of vaccinated class2457
B. Doubtful class231
C. Unvaccinated class874
Grand totals35512

London vaccination returns.
In previous reports I have referred to the large proportion of children born in London
appearing in recent years in the vaccination returns as " not finally accounted for." The proportion
in successive years has been as follows. The figures for the years subsequent to 1901 are not
yet available, but it will be noted that since 1898 the proportion has declined—
Year.
Children not finally
accounted for
(including cases
postponed, and for
which "certificates
of exemption" were
granted) percent, of
total births.
Year.
Children not finally
accounted for
(including casea
postponed, and for
which "certificates
of exemption" were
granted) percent, of
total births.
1872 8.8 1887 9.0
1873 8.7 1888 10.3
1874 8.8 1889 11.6
1875 9.3 1890 13.9
1876 6.5 1891 16.4
1877 7.1 1892 18.4
1878 7.1 1893 18.2
1879 7.8 1894 20.6
1880 7.0 1895 24.9
1881 5.7 1896 26.4
1882 6.6 1897 29.1
1883 6.5 1898 33.0
1884 6.8 1899 27.7
1885 7.0 1900 25.8
1886 7.8 1901 25.2