View report page

24
SMALL-POX.
In two instances only this year your officers have been associated with investigations
into cases of Small Pox, the details of which are as follows:—
A man, living in an adjoining area, but working in the City, left his place of business
on Thursday, 16th April, feeling indisposed. A papular rash made its appearance on 20th
April. It was suggested by the Medical Officer of Health of the area in which the patient
resided that he was infected as a consequence of handling foreign rags. On enquiry it was
found that the patient had examined rags, either in bulk or in sample, on April 6th at a place
in the Tilbury Docks. This circumstance was reported to Dr. Willoughby, the Port Medical
Officer.
The usual precautions were taken with regard to the contacts, and disinfection of the
premises and such samples of rags as remained in the office was effected.
The other cases in which the City was directly concerned was also that of a City worker
residing in an adjoining area. The patient, a woman, was employed as a paper folder.
The rash appeared on the 25th April, but the patient continued at work until the 29th April,
and during that interval was closely in contact with a large number of fellow workers. The
case was not diagnosed as Small-pox until 4th May. I received information as to the association
with City worker® on 5th May. There were in all 322 persons employed by the patient's
employers and engaged in the same building in which she worked.
Efforts were made to secure re-vaccination of all those not already protected. Some
refused to avail themselves of the facilities, but 118 were re-vaccinated. Fifty-four of the
remainder had been re-vaccinated during the past seven years.
TEMPORARY ISOLATION ACCOMMODATION.
29, MIDDLESEX STREET.
In 1918, the Corporation made provision for suitable accommodation for the isolation
and observation of Small-pox contacts at premises situated at 6, Bridgewater Square. These
premises were this year demolished and alternative accommodation has been provided at
29, Middlesex Street, E.C.
It was not found necessary to use the provision during the year.
NURSING PROVISION.
Measles, etc.—The Corporation has approved of the expenditure of £25 per annum in
respect of the nursing of complicated cases of Measles, Encephalitis Lethargica and Cerebrospinal
Fever, and have alsoagreed to expend the sum of £30 on provision of medical assistance
and nursing attendance in necessitous cases of Influenza. No action was necessary under
this heading during 1925.
POLIO-MYELITIS.
Some effort, this year, has been made to improve the method of dealing with
cases of Polio-myelitis in children. The Ministry of Health, in a memorandum addressed
to local authorities, directed attention to the fact that lack of facilities existed in London
for dealing adequately with the after-effects of Poliomyelitis in children, and to the
permanent crippling and physical deformity caused by this disease. This after-effect is
apt to be unnecessarily severe in consequence of the lack of skilled and prolonged treatment,
particularly during the later stages of the illness. Attention was also drawn to the necessity
for prolonged orthopoedic treatment in a residential institution in those cases where paralysis
occurs.
The disease is not a common one in London, and may easily be overlooked by a practitioner.
The London County Council have, accordingly, arranged for the services of one of
its expert officers to be available in a consultative capacity and to generally assist in diagnosis,
etc.
In view of the fact that cases are not frequent in the City, the Corporation sent to all
practitioners within the City boundary, a copy of the circular letter above referred to,
together with a copy of a note on the early diagnosis of the disease, issued by the Ministry
of Health, at the same time as the circular in question. Attention was also particularly
directed to the desirability of the notification of Poliomyelitis in the early stages.