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17
Eight uncertified deaths were of children under 1 year of
age, 6 being attributed to convulsions, and 1 to want of vitality,
neither term being a satisfactory explanation of the cause of
death. In two the death followed parturition; the women,
presumably, were not attended by a qualified medical man,
but by a midwife who had neglected to call in medical aid at
the proper time. I am of opinion that no person should be
buried until the death has been certified either by a medical
man or by a coroner after a medical investigation or after an
inquest. For the action taken in this matter by the late
Plumstead Vestry I must refer to my last Annual Report.
Small-pox and Vaccination.
24. Only one death from Small-pox was attributed to Woolwich,
and that was the new born baby removed to hospital
with Small-pox. This child was born on the 22nd September,
the mother sickened with Small-pox on the 23rd, the child
was vaccinated on the 25th, taken ill the 2nd October and
died the 13th.
25. The prevalence of Small-pox in London (which had been
practically free from this disease since 1896) commenced in
June, affecting at the onset mainly St. Marylebone and St.
Pancras Boroughs. In September and October it became more
generalized and reached Woolwich; 21 cases were notified up
to December 31st, viz., 1 in September, 1 in October, 8 in
November and 11 in December; 4 cases occurred in the River
ward, 5 in St. Nicholas and a smaller number in each of the
other five Plumstead wards (see table 3). There were 4 cases
in Woolwich, 17 in Plumstead and none in Eltham.
26. As shown above the one death was a child who bad not
been vaccinated previous to infection. Of the 21 cases that
recovered 17 were stated to have been vaccinated. One had