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25.
Smallpox.
Although no cases of smallpox were notified in
Fulham during the year, 247 contacts of smallpox cases
were kept under observation and 1,239 visits were made
to them. This has added greatly to the work of the
Public Health Department.
Contacts are visited daily by the Sanitary Inspectors
from the date when they are notified to the Health
Department until the 16th day after the last actual or
probable exposure to infection and they are also visited
at least once by the Medical Officer of Health after the
16th day.
The visits are made either to the contact's house
or place of occupation. If however, the person resides
in Fulham and is working elsewhere he is generally
kept under observation by the Public Health Staff of the
area in which he works.
Reports on the contacts are made by the Inspectors
on a special form after their first visit and on another
form after the 16th day. Interim reports are also made
if necessary. A card index of contacts is also kept in
the office.
All contacts are advised that they may be vaccinated
by the Public Vaccinator free of charge if not already
protected by vaccination.
The general public are much in need of education
on the subject of vaccination. It is certain that if the
prevailing slackness among the public with regard to
vaccination continues the present epidemic will spread.
Although most of the cases are at present mild this may
not always be the case.
The general work of Public Health Authorities is
greatly hampered by the supervision of contacts which
is caused by the neglect of vaccination on the part of a
large proportion of the general public. Vaccination is
the fundamental means of preventing smallpox. The