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the disease on September 28th, she should have been taken ill on October 9th,
and the rash appear on October 12th. If she contracted the disease on
the day that Gaffney was removed to the Hospital—October 4th—she
should have shown symptoms of small pox on October 15th, and the
rash appear on October 18th. Mrs. G-, as well as the other
residents of Royal Mint Square, were kept under observation until October 19th.
On the latter date she appeared to be quite well, and there were no signs of a
rash. I can only account for it in one or two ways. Either it was a case
of delayed incubation, or Mrs. G- contracted the disease through using
some article on October 6th or 7th that became infected on September 28th,
but was not used for some time after it had been infected. I am of opinion it
was the latter, as the incubation period of small pox is invariably 12 days,
the rash always appearing on the third day of the onset of the disease.
All the residents of Royal Mint Square were kept under observation.
On November 8th, I found that J. O'B-, of No. 133, and Mrs. G-, of
No. 121, who had been feeling unwell for two or three days, showed signs of
a rash. They were removed to the Small Pox Hospital within an hour
of the appearance of the rash. Mrs. C- had accompanied Mrs. G-
to Dr. B-'s surgery on October 24th, and sat next to her in the waiting-room.
On November 10th, Miss K-, of 137, Royal Mint Square, was removed
to the Hospital.
With the exception of Mrs. C-, all the persons who contracted the
disease resided on the same floor as Gaffney. Mrs. C-'s tenement was
on the floor underneath.
On October 18th, P. O'B-, wife of the above-named J. O'B-, was
taken ill at the Shelter, and was removed to the Small Pox Hospital on
October 19th.
With the exception of Gaffney all the persons notified were vaccinated in
infancy only.
These small pox cases are the first that have occurred in the Borough since
March, 1906.
I communicated with all the medical men practising in the Borough, drawing
their attention to the outbreak and offering my services in assisting them
to diagnose any doubtful case.