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the infection was contracted in a South London Borough where there have been 47 crises between
May 10th and June 23rd, and in the same period another borough has had 33 cases also. East
London is at present free and may remain so throughout the summer, but I do not consider the
outlook promising for the coming winter. There is nothing to be gained by alarming the public,
but I consider that the Public Health Committee should not be left uninformed as to the position,
and I am therefore bringing; the subject before the Committee at the present time.
Hackney remained free, with the exception of the case abovementioned,
during 1928, but there has been an outbreak of mild smallpox
in London, which is certainly not yet under control, and the outlook
for the coming winter is still more unfavourable. In view of the
large number of contacts and the unvaccinated state of the population,
if it were not for the low infectivity of the present type of the
disease an uncontrollable epidemic would now have spread throughout
London.
The protection given by vaccination against Small-pox is absolute,
when the vaccination is properly done. Dr. Wanklyn states in his
pamphlet on vaccination :" The writer, with an experience of 15,000
cases of small-pox to draw on, has never known one of many hundreds
of Hospital Attendants to contract the disease, though they have been
breathing, eating and living in an atmosphere reeking with infection.
This immunity is solely due to vaccination";and this is a fact that
the Medical Superintendents of all Small-pox hospitals endorse. It
cannot be said about any other infectious disease that the attendants
can be rendered immune without exception or fear of failure from any
cause.
Although only one case occurred in this Borough, the number of
Hackney residents who had been in "contact" with notified persons
in Hackney and other Boroughs and who had, therefore, to be kept
under observation amounted to 275. Suspicious cases reported from
the schools and other sources of information also required investigation.
The greatest possible assistance was afforded the Department
by Dr. Malcolm Barlow, the Deputy Medical Officer; indeed,
without the assistance of Dr. Barlow I would have found it impossible
to carry on. As always occurs during periods of anxiety due
to Small-pox, a considerable number of illnesses presenting skin
eruptions, such as measles, food poisoning, syphilis and other conditions
were wrongly suspected of being small-pox, the majority of the
suspect cases, however, being severe cases of Chicken-pox.
Maternity and Child Welfare.
The year's working of the Municipal Centre at 28, Lower Clapton
Road, which includes Ante-natal, Child Welfare, Light, and Dental
Clinics is described fully on pages 77 to 80 of this Report
The Light Clinic opened on January 14th, 1926, and one session
of two hours weekly is held. The lamp is a KBB type K lamp,
Mercury Vapour; the amperage, starting, is 4.5, running 2.7, series