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86
Smallpox again visited the borough in 1927 when three cases
were notified, the first being a boy aged four years and unvaccinated,
who developed the disease whilst under treatment for whooping
cough in a fever hospital. The origin of the infection was not
discovered. The smallpox rash appeared on the 13th May and the
patient died at the Long Reach Smallpox Hospital on the 23rd
May. Owing to the prompt measures taken to limit the spread of
the disease no further cases occurred at the former hospital.
The second case fell ill in Hackney on the 18th May, the rash
appearing on the 20th. The patient, a man aged 33, was unvaccinated
at the time of infection but had been vaccinated during the
incubation period on the 10th May because he was a relative of and
had been in contact with a case that occurred in the Borough of
Poplar. This patient, who was promptly removed to the South
Wharf that evening before the rash had made its appearance, had a
discreet attack of smallpox and subsequently recovered.
The third case was a tramp sent into hospital on the 14th
June, 1927. He had been vaccinated in infancy and was suffering
from the modified type of smallpox which had been prevalent in
the Midlands. He had called at various casual wards on his
journey down from Barnsley, which he left on the 11th May, 1927,
to Hackney, where he was admitted on the 13th June, 1927, at
9.45 p.m. On the morning of 14th June, when I saw the case with
Dr. Sturdee, of the Ministry of Health, the rash had probably
been out for several days. The Medical Officers of the districts
concerned, 14 in all, were informed on the same day. Endeavours
were made successfully to trace the casuals who had been discharged
before I saw the case, and 11 of them were brought back to Gainsborough
Road. One casual, who had jumped the wall in the night
and a casual who had enlisted in the Army, were also traced.
Vaccination of staff and casuals was carried out in the usual way,
with the exception of two casuals who refused to be vaccinated.
The casuals were induced to remain at Gainsborough Road by
various privileges being granted them by the Metropolitan Asylums
Board authorities, and by a small payment. The total number of
contacts in the borough, including staff at Gainsborough Road,
was 92.
On the 21st June, 1927, 49 casuals who had been successfully
vaccinated, were discharged after a bath and the disinfection
of their clothing. Four others, two unvaccinated and two vaccinated,
possibly too late for protection, were removed to South
Wharf on the same day, and at the expiration of the incubation
period were discharged and the normal cleansing and disinfection
was carried out at Gainsborough Road, thus permitting the casual
ward to be opened for the usual purposes from 21st June, 1927.