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There were 30 deaths. The course adopted in relation to the cases was the
same as in previous years. Nurses were sent in to 4 cases, and 23 visits were
paid.
Whooping Cough.
Most of the information obtained with regard to this disease is derived from
the death returns, and during 1926 the number of deaths registered as due to
whooping cough was 11. In 1925 the number was 21.
Glanders and Anthrax.
No cases were notified.
Small Pox.
Two cases were notified at the beginning of October, one a woman, age 32,
employed as a chamber-maid in a hotel in the Borough, and the other a boy, age
14½, acting as page boy in the same establishment. Both patients were infected
from the same source, viz., a guest in the hotel, who, apparently infected in Paris,
occupied a room for over a week while in an infectious condition. On account of
the fact that the condition was not diagnosed as small pox the patient was not
isolated at all, members of the hotel staff entering the room, which he occupied
with his wife, in connection with their duties, and visitors being freely received.
On more than one occasion also the patient left his room to attend a place of
worship and transact business. That he was actually suffering from small pox
was not recognised until after he had left the hotel ana the Borough, and his wile
had developed this disease in a form so severe as to cause her death. As soon as
these facts were ascertained careful enquiries and full investigations were carried
out at the hotel, and resulted in the discovery of early signs of infection in the
chamber-maid and the page boy and the arousing of suspicions with regard to a
char-woman whose home was in Lambeth. The first two patients were removed
to hospital at once, as was also the char-woman, though some difficulty was found
in tracing her. Probably because all three were isolated before they were
definitely infectious and because all persons who had been at all in contact with
them or the original patient were successfully vaccinated, no further cases
developed. In carrying out the vaccinations, and maintaining close supervision over
the contacts in the hotel during the period of incubation, the greatest assistance
was obtained from the physician to the hotel (Dr. Gordon Hume) and Dr. Greenwood,
the Public Vaccinator. The two cases notified in St. Marylebone both
recovered ; the char-woman, who developed a severe attack, died after a few days.
As regards vaccination, it may be mentioned that the chamber-maid, who was 32,
had not been vaccinated since infancy, and the page boy not at all. As a result
of the wide publicity given to the outbreak in the press, and of a communication
addressed to all medical practitioners in the Borough advising them of the occurrence
of the cases, a considerable stimulus was given to vaccination, and large
numbers of persons, private and in institutions, were either vaccinated or
re-vaccinated.
Infectious Diseases in Schools.
The accompanying table shows the number of cases of measles, whooping
cough, chicken-pox and the notifiable infectious diseases reported from Schools