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small-pox, Six were in a satisfactory sanitary condition, three were in a fair sanitary
condition and three were unsatisfactory, the premises being generally dirty and in one
instance overcrowded,
Secondary cases occurred in three of the houses. In two instances these were
due to infection from the primary eases before they were removed to hospital. In
the third instance the second case in the house resulted from a visit to the small-pox
ships. A young man and two other persons friends of the patient who was dangerously
ill with small-pox, went to see her. The young man refused to allow himself to be
vaccinated and in a fortnight's time he was taken to the hospital ships himself with
small-pox. The other persons who had recently been re-vaccinated remained well.
With respect to the cases at No. 15 Norris Street, they were all members of the
same family consisting of the parents and four children. The child which escaped
was about 3 years old and had been vaccinated in infancy. She had been observed
in the same bed with two of the other children who bad the eruption of small-pox
out on them at the time.
The measures taken for disinfection after cases of small-pox are briefly as
follows:—The room or rooms which have been exposed to infection are stripped
of all textile articles which, together with the infected clothing of the inmates, are
removed by the Councils officers for disinfection at the disinfecting station, where
they are subjected to the action of steam under pressure. The room or rooms are
then sealed up and fumigated with sulphur dioxide, a gas produced by burning sulphur.
The period of fumigation varies according as circumstances may require. After
fumigation the rooms are thoroughly aired and the floors and woodwork generally,
including that of the adjacent landings and staircases, are washed with soap and
water mixed with carbolic disinfectant. In certain cases in which it appears
necessary the walls are stripped of paper, after being damped with a solution of
carbolic acid by the Council's officers. Re-papering is not allowed to be done until
such time has elapsed that workmen may enter the dwelling with safety. When
necessary the inmates of the infected dwellings are accommodated at the Council's
Shelter in Reeves Place whilst their dwellings are undergoing disinfection. Whilst there,
their clothing is disinfected and they are provided with baths.
In all cases of small-pox the addresses of the infected houses are sent to the
Vaccination Officer and the inmates of the infected dwelling are recommended to
be vaccinated or re-vaccinated as the case may be. In many instances the advice
so given is taken and acted upon.
With respect to the subject of
VACCINATION
and the incidence of small-pox, the cases in Shoreditch during 1901 are obviously
too few in number for any reliable conclusion to be drawn from them. Attention
may, however, be directed to the Report of the Statistical Committee of the