View report page

20
ill on the 25th April also with a mild attack of "chicken pox" but
was said to have had a previous attack of chicken pox. In
retrospect both father and daughter must be considered as cases of
smallpox and the source of infection of Mr Y.
Subsequent progress of the outbreak within the Borough
Throughout Sunday, 30th June the immediate focus of attention
was on the primary contacts. Systematically the lists were worked
through and gamma globulin and vaccination, or revaccination alone
was given to the members of the public at greater risk - there
were no refusals One child, a girl aged 11, not a contact of
the case, was under special observation and was sent on suspicion
to Long Reach Hospital, but later proved to be a case of chicken
pox, An aunt of the boy patient (Mrs C.) vaccinated in infancy
who had nursed Mrs A (her mother) became unwell and the following
day was admitted to Long Reach Hospital where she was later confirmed
as suffering from smallpox In due course she made a slow
but uneventful recovery The engineering firm where Mrs. C.
worked was visited and the staff advised vaccination Other
primary contacts of special mention., living in the neighbourhood,
included a Mr and Mrs, D and their married daughter (Mrs. E. )
wife of a U„s A F_ airman, who was expecting her first baby at the
titne She was given gamma globulin intra muscularly. Later in
the week the mother was admitted to an isolation cubicle at the
American Hospital; Ruislip for a normal delivery.
The public health inspectors meanwhile continued to obtain
names and addresses of groups of persons at special risk e.g.,
laundry workers who might have handled contaminated linen from
families involved, and directed them to the emergency vaccination
centre Gradually the public at large pressed in ever increasing
numbers for vaccination. These were diverted to their own general
medical practitioners who obtained supplies of calf lymph held at
the Town Hall In the meantime vaccination of children at the
school attended by M B. proceeded well and was undertaken by the
mobile teams of medical officers and health visitors. The class
room of the patient had been sealed and disinfected as also the
rooms at the houses where his and other cases of smallpox occurred.
Vaccination or revaccination of the ambulance personnel at the
Edmonton depot was arranged by the medical officer of health of
Edmonton
On Tuesday and Wednesday, July 2nd and 3rd routine home
visiting of primary contacts was continued, also numerous cases