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38
In tlie following month (November 2nd—29th), Kensington
cases rose to 20, viz., 11 in North Kensington, and 9 in South
Kensington. One case was imported; and 7 cases occurred in
houses where the disease had previously existed. On November
29th, the number of patients in the hospitals had risen, from 580
on November 1st, to 884. In the four weeks ended November 21st,
27 patients were admitted at the Western Hospital, and on the 21st,
17 patients were remaining under treatment.
In the remaining five weeks (November 30th—January 3rd,
1885), completing the registration year 1884, there was a considerable
increase in the number of small-pox cases in Kensington,
37 having occurred, 5 in North Kensington, and 32 in South Kensington.
Twelve deaths of Kensington people were recorded in
the four weeks. On January 3rd, there were 1,013 patients in the
hospitals, only 10 of them in the Western Hospital, into which,
however, 40 cases had been admitted in the four weeks ended
January 2nd, and from which 27 cases were transferred to the
Ship Hospitals or the Camp.
As evidence of the severe type of the disease at this time, (when,
it is to be remembered, none but "severe" cases were admitted), it
may be mentioned that 22 patients died at the Western Hospital
within the four weeks. The story of small-pox experiences in
1884, may be completed by the following extract from my last
report (No. 14, January 3rd, 1885, page 96.)
Two boys were found to be suffering from the disease in a small poor house about
500 yards distant from the Western Hospital: the origin of their illness
could not be made out for some time, but it was afterwards ascertained that their
mother had had small-pox a fortnight before without knowing the nature of her
illness and had infected her sons; they in turn infected a sister.
A grocer's assistant, the origin of whose illness was not traced, continued to
serve behind the counter in a grocer's shop, for two days, in ignorance of the
nature of his illness. He walked to the hospital and was admitted.
A case of supposed chicken-pox was followed by a case of undoubted small-pox.
At a mews in the north of the parish a man fell ill, and as the doctor did not
recognize the nature of the illness, he Was not removed for seven days. His son,
aged 10, contracted the disease as well as a young man, aged 17, in his employ, but
who lived in another street. These patients were removed to hospital, as well as a
poor woman living in the mews who had shown neighbourly attention to the man
in his sickness. The woman died, and the boy also.