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36
A case of virulent smallpox had occurred during the voyage and
had died at sea on the 1st April.
On receipt of this information arrangements were made for the
eight contacts to be visited daily until after the elapse of incubation
period.
One of the contacts was a lady aged 65. She had been suffering
from pneumonia during the last two weeks of the voyage and was
admitted for one night to hospital before proceeding, by ambulance,
to her sister's flat in Richmond.
Her general condition improved until the 13 th April when a
few skin lesions appeared. On the following day she was transferred
to Clandon Hospital suffering from smallpox. The diagnosis was
later confirmed bacteriologically.
The question of disinfection of the premises then arose. All floor
coverings, curtains, bedding and any articles with which the patient
had been in close contact were immediately sent to the Isolation hospital
to be subjected to steam under pressure. As was feared, these
articles were severely damaged and the Council later paid a claim
from the owners for £115. Otherwise the room was sealed up and
subjected to heavy concentrations of formalin vapour. The real
problem was a wardrobe in the patient's room which contained clothing
valued at £1500. Steam disinfection would undoubtedly have
destroyed the whole lot.
The patient had been removed to hospital at a very early stage.
She had been confined to bed and I established that she had had no
contact with the gowns and furs in the cupboard. On the 30th
April, the room, which was still sealed up, was twice subjected to an
intense concentration of formalin gas by the special Bacterol process.
After this it was considered that disinfection was complete. The
contents of the wardrobe were not harmed in any way by this process.
Had the case been more severe or in a more advanced stage,
steam disinfection would have been essential and the Council would
have been faced with a heavy claim for damages.
The occupants of the flat had now become close contacts. They
were four in number. All were immediately vaccinated and kept
under daily observation until all danger had passed. All other
occupants of the block of flats were informed. There was some alarm