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

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London County Council 1925

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

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27
Priestley, medical officer of health, on the 4th May. She had developed the disease
a week before she came under medical observation and had been freely moving
about, going to cinemas, etc. She was employed by a firm in Aldersgate Street,
E.C., as a paper folder, and attended work for about 4 days after the rash first
appeared. All the employees were vaccinated, with but few exceptions in which
consent was withheld. All the known contacts were kept under close observation
and only one additional case occurred, namely, the father of the girl, aged 66 years,
unvaccinated since infancy. He was not revaccinated when his daughter was
discovered to be suffering from smallpox as he was already sickening when the
public vaccinator called. His rash appeared on the night of the 8-9 May, and he
was removed to hospital on the latter date. No further cases occurred.
Port of London case.—On the 29th January, the S.S. Hadrian, a coasting vessel
plying between Newcastle-on-Tyne and London, arrived in the Free Trade Dock,
Shadwell. One of the ship's firemen, W. B., aged 27 years (unvaccinated since
infancy), left the ship and went to a doctor's surgery in High Street, Shadwell, where
he was found to have smallpox, the diagnosis being confirmed by Dr. D. L. Thomas,
medical officer of health of Stepney. He was at once removed to hospital. Dr.
Willoughby, medical officer of health of the Port Sanitary Authority, found that
another member of the ship's crew had just recovered from a mild attack of smallpox ;
this patient had been working on board throughout the attack. The remainder
of the crew were vaccinated and all the necessary precautions were taken. The
passengers had already disembarked, and, as the ship was a coasting vessel, their
names and addresses were not taken.
Further investigations showed that there had been an outbreak of " influenzal
colds " among the crew on board the ship on her previous journey and the patients
had been left at Newcastle. The history suggests that these earlier cases of illness
may have been mild smallpox of the type prevalent in Durham and the north
generally. No further developments occurred in London, but this occurrence once
again indicates the possibility of introduction into London of the particular kind
of variolous infection now prevalent in the provinces.
Miscellaneous cases affecting London.—It will be of interest to record the following
cases which, though non-residents of London, represented potential danger to the
metropolis.
(i.) A girl, "E.W.," aged 15 years, came from Nuneaton to stay at
an address in Fulham during the period 21-28 December, 1924. On the 3rd
January, 1925, the medical officer of health of Fulham ascertained that
during the period of her stay in London, her brother and four of her coworkers
were notified to be suffering from smallpox. On her return to
Nuneaton, the girl herself was examined and was deemed to have suffered
from a mild attack of the disease. Enquiries showed that whilst she was
in Fulham she had a few spots on her face which cleared up under ointment
treatment. All the necessary precautions were taken, including supervision
and vaccination of contacts, and although her movements were in no way
restricted, whilst in London, no further developments arose.
(ii.) On the 30th May, 1925, Dr. Hyslop Thompson, medical officer
of health of Hertfordshire, reported the occurrence of a case of smallpox
in Radlett. The patient, an adult male, who had been vaccinated in 1910,
and again in 1919 with negative result, returned from a visit to Switzerland
on the 14th May and the rash appeared on the 28th May. The case was
of a mild type, and it is probable that he contracted the infection in
Switzerland, or more possibly during his journey home. There was a large
number of contacts, many of whom travelled daily to and from their
businesses in London. All the direct contacts were vaccinated or revaccinated
and no further cases occurred.