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During the year four ships on which cases of smallpox had occurred during their
voyages from eastern ports arrived in the port of London. On two of these the
patients had been landed at foreign ports whilst on another the patient died and was
buried at sea. On the fourth ship, the patient had been unwell for some days and
on the arrival of the ship at Bellamy's wharf he developed a rash and attended the
Seamen's hospital, where he was detained as a suspected case of smallpox. He was
admitted to the Council's receiving station at South wharf and was found to be
suffering from the type of smallpox prevalent in the east. Passengers from three
other ships on which smallpox had occurred arrived in London by overland routes.
Particulars of all these cases, together with the names and addresses of the crews
and passengers were circulated to the medical officers of health of the metropolitan
boroughs and other areas, in order that all potential contacts might be kept under
surveillance during the possible periods of incubation.
No secondary cases were reported.
As a result of representations made by the Lambeth Borough Council to the
Society of Medical Officers of Health (Metropolitan Branch)the Metropolitan Boroughs'
Standing Joint Committee and the Ministry of Health, some relaxation of administrative
procedure for dealing with cases of the prevalent mild type of smallpox has
been agreed to with special reference to the treatment of patients in their homes. The
selection of cases for home treatment is always made by the borough medical officer
of health who is in a position to determine the severity of the cases and to decide
whether the home conditions are such that the cases can with safety be treated at
home. During 1932 five cases of smallpox were treated in their homes.
Chickenpox.
In three metropolitan boroughs orders, made under the provisions of section 55
of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, making chickenpox notifiable, expired and
were not renewed. At the end of the year this disease was notifiable in Paddington,
Chelsea, Hammersmith, Islington, City of London, Poplar, Deptford, and the Port
of London.
Cerebrospinal
(spotted)
fever.
During the year 247 notifications of cerebrospinal fever were received, but in 13
of these the diagnosis was not confirmed. Of the 234 cases confirmed, 100 proved
fatal. In addition 48 deaths were recorded by the Registrar-General of cases which
had not been notified, thus making a total of 148 deaths.
The disease reaches its highest prevalence during the winter and spring, the
greatest number of cases being recorded during the first quarter of the year. The
number of notifications for each quarter during the last two years are shown below :—•
Year. 1st quarter. 2nd quarter. 3rd quarter. 4th quarter.
1931 65 55 31 24
1932 104 76 39 28
Reference to serum treatment for this disease will be included in Vol. IV (Part I)
of the Annual Report.