London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Kingston upon Thames 1928

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kingston-upon-Thames]

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16
from this particular source is at an end. This Ward is
used ordinarily for certain chronic male cases, and is staffed
by male orderlies and attendants. It is situated in a separate
block, and is, in consequence, isolated from the main hospital
building and Central Relief Institution. It is, no doubt, for
this reason the outbreak was more easily controlled. The
Ward consists of two rooms, separated by a lobby, and I
was able to arrange for the disinfection of each half to be
carried out separately. The Ward was visited by me daily
for twenty days.
There is little doubt that the hospital cases arose from
Case No. 2, but with regard to the latter, despite exhaustive
inquiries, the source of infection was not definitely traced.
It is interesting to record, however, that on Thursday, April
26th, 1928, I was informed by the London County Council
that a man, R.B., who had been residing in Kingston up to
and including Friday, April 20th, 1928, and who afterwards
went to Fulham, had been admitted to Hospital on April
24th, 1928, suffering from Smallpox. In view of the date
of appearance of the rash, it is probable that he contracted
the disease at the same time as Case No. 2 but, unfortunately,
even after a house-to-house visitation had been
undertaken and the Common Lodging Houses visited, no
evidence was forthcoming that R.B. had ever stayed at the
Common Lodging House at which Case No. 2 resided,
though it appears likely that he (R.B.) had stayed at the
other Common Lodging House under a different name during
the Easter week-end.
CHICKENPOX.
Thirteen cases were notified in accordance with the
requirements of the temporarily compulsory notification
order. It was not found necessary to continue the regulations
in force for more than one month, as the suspected
case of Smallpox resident in the Borough was not confirmed
and the outbreak of Smallpox was limited to one ward at
the Hospital.
SCARLET FEVER.
The type of case has been mild, and no deaths have been
attributed to this disease during the year.