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18
SMALL POX.
Small Pox, which was epidemic in the spring and summer
of 1884, again became epidemic in December of that year,
and continued so until the end of July of 1885, a few cases
also occured in August, September, October and November,
no cases however were reported in December.
During 1885, 509 cases were reported, the districts in which
the disease was most prevalent, were Vauxhall and Stockwell.
The centre of contagion in the one place was doubtless the
Small Pox Hospital, in the other a lodging-house in which a
case wassecretly treated at home. The disease rapidly invaded
a large number of houses in the vicinity, and although the
cases were removed to Hospital with despatch, rooms and
bedding immediately disinfected, and the school in the
immediate neighbourhood closed, the epidemic assumed
large proportions.
At Stockwell 68 houses were invaded within half a mile of
the Hospital, the majority of cases, as in 1884, being within
the quarter-mile area. In last year's report I brought
forward some facts which militated against the theory of
aerial dissemination, pointing out that no cases had occurred
in the 40 houses situated upon the west side of Hargwyne
Street, although the backs of these houses formed the
boundary of the Hospital Grounds, and were not many yards
removed from the Hospital Buildings themselves. This year,
however, these houses did not enjoy the same immunity;
seven of the houses were invaded; also in the portion of the
half-mile area separated from the Hospital by the line of
rails, in which only three houses were invaded last year,
eleven houses became infected.
The districts in which the Asylum Board's Hospitals are
situated throughout the Metropolis have in every epidemic
suffered severely; there has been an exceptional prevalence
of Small Pox in their vicinity.