View report page

54
In spite of the closest enquiries no link was established between
the Walthamstow case and the cases in Tottenham and other parts
of London, and therefore the possibility of mild and unrecognised
case(s) of smallpox at large in the community had to be allowed
for.
A visit was paid to the Old People's Meeting at Lloyd Park
Pavilion on Monday, the 8th July, in order to advise those attending,
to try to reassure them, and to get further information. The
meetings at Gospel Hall and The Settlement, normally held on
Tuesdays and Wednesdays, were cancelled by the organisers.
Throughout, the closest co-operation was received from the
Chairmen of the Health, Finance and General Purposes and Education
Committees, and from Councillor Crosbie in regard to the
compilation of the many contacts at the Lloyd Park meting. The
work of the staff of the Department, both Borough and County,
was exemplary. The Council subsequently placed on record
appreciation of the valuable work undertaken by the Staff of the
Department following the notification of this case.
INFLUENZA
In mid September a letter from the Chief Medical Officer,
Ministry of Health requested immediate information of any outbreak
and suggested daily contact with medical practitioners with
large lists, with Medical Officers or Managers of all large industrial
undertakings and with the Education Officer in regard to schools.
It was stated that as from the 17th September the Manager of
the local office of the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance
would telephone if and when new sickness benefit claims either
exceeded 30 per cent of those for the previous week or when they
first reached 200 per cent of the average weekly number during
the period 4th April, 1956, to the 4th December, 1956.
All these suggestions were implemented at once and weekly
returns were readily obtained in regard to the weekly claims of
sickness benefit from the Walthamstow office of the Ministry of
Pensions and National Insurance, from the Establishment Officer
of the Borough Council as a large employer of labour, from the
Borough Education Officer in regard to children absent from school
and finally from the Day Nurseries in regard to pre-school children.
Contact was also made with those family doctors who had previously
agreed to act as "spotters" and enquiries were made from
thirteen industrial undertakings employing over five hundred
persons.
A letter of advice was compiled and was circularised by the
Borough Education Officer to the head teachers of all schools and
referring to the method of spread, the need for the prompt ex-