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115
SMALLPOX.
Three cases of small pox were notified. They were mild
in character, had no apparent connection with each other,
and occurred amongst vagrants. The first case was notified
by the acting Medical Superintendent of the Plumstead and
District Hospital on the 16th April; the patient was unvaccinated.
The second case, a man aged 55 years, vaccinated
in infancy, was admitted to the Woolwich Casual Ward on
the 17th April and diagnosed as suffering from smallpox on .
the 18th. On the 13th May another vagrant, aged 65, vaccinated
in infancy, was discovered in the casual ward with a
five days' old rash. All these cases were removed to the
hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylums Board. There were
no secondary cases.
In dealing with these cases, the Department was fortunate
in receiving the thorough and complete support of the officers
of the two institutions concerned, all of whom did what they
could to ensure that all possible precautions were taken to
prevent the spread of the disease, and the help given by them
was very valuable and much appreciated.
Contacts were vaccinated either by the Medical Officer
of the Hospital or by the local Public Vaccinators. No
persons were vaccinated by the Medical Officer of Health under
the provisions of the Public Health (Smallpox Prevention)
Regulations, 1917. No contacts were admitted to the Smallpox
Shelter in Sun Street.
SCARLET FEVER.
Notification. During the year 529 cases of scarlet fever
were notified, compared with 478 in 1927 and 411 in 1926.
There is usually an increase in the number of notifications of
this disease every seven years, but, although on this occasion
this phenomenon was again noted in a very slight degree,