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

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Acton 1902

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Acton]

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19
in the house. Re-vaccination was at once performed on thirteen and
primary vaccination on two of the inmates. Seven of these inmates
developed the disease from ten to twelve days after the first case
was removed, but they had it so mildly that it was only necessary
to detain them in Hospital for a week or two.
(2.) That it is possible to have Small Pox so modified that it is
not recognised by the individual, his symptoms being so mild that
he goes about his daily avocation as usual. Case to illustrate:—It
came to my knowledge that a young woman at Southall developed
Small Pox just twelve days after receiving a visit from an Acton man.
I at once went and looked up this individual, and ascertained that he
had had an attack of lumbago and one or two spots on his forehead.
One was so typical that I had no hesitation in my own mind that he
had had the disease and given it to the young woman at Southall.
I therefore had the man, his clothing and house at once disinfected.
Two days later a woman residing in the same house as the man
developed typical Small Pox and was removed to the Hospital, thus
confirming my diagnosis. These ambulatory cases are the most
dangerous that the Medical Officer has to deal with. This man we
know gave the disease to two persons, but how many others he
infected I cannot say.
(a.) That malignant or hemorrhagic Small Pox is invariably fatal.
Two patients developed this terrible form—a man who died on the
second day after removal, and a woman who had a few days previously
been confined, on the third day. Neither had been re-vaccinated
since infancy.
Unvaccinated infants also invariably die, and suffer from the confluent
form. This was the case of an infant three months old in
Bedford Park.
(4.) That a considerable amount of re-vaccination must have
exercised some influence in checking the spread of infection, but it is
evident that a very large proportion of the working classes failed to
avail themselves of this protection.
(5.) That if we are to enjoy the immunity from Small Pox that falls
to the lot of Germany, re-vaccination must be made compulsory about
puberty.
As the responsible officer for the measures that have to be taken
in dealing with a Small Pox epidemic it is essential that the Medical