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54
SMALL POX.
Twelve eases of small pox were notified during the year.
The history of these is interesting, and well illustrates the
advantage of the system of inter-communication between Medical
Officers of Health. It is as follows:—
On October 18th, I received a telegram from the Medical
Officer of Health of Horbury, Yorks, stating that a small pox
contact was residing at Villiers Road, Willesden. The contact,
a Salvation Army " Captain," was discovered there, and a history
of influenza from which he was alleged to have suffered did not
lessen the suspicion with which he was necessarily regarded
owing to his contact with small pox in Yorkshire 19 days previously.
Subsequent investigation after communicating with the
medical attendant elicited the following facts.
-D-, the contact, came to Yilliers Road with
his wife from Horbury, Yorkshire, on September 29th. Prior to
leaving Horbury he had visited a patient whose illness subsequently
proved to be small pox. On October 2nd he was seized with
symptons of influenza, which confined him to his home until
October 16th.
On October 7th his wife returned to Horbury, and on
October 18th she was admitted to the small pox hospital there
suffering from small pox. As the rash was stated to have appeared
on this date, it was certain that she had contracted the disease in
Willesden, probably on October 4th. If she had contracted the