London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Rotherhithe 1870

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Rotherhithe]

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21
In the early part of this year active measures were taken to meet this outbreak
of Small-pox. Circulars were issued, recommending Vaccination and Re-vaccination to
be performed; the Vestry resolved, that an apparatus to disinfect by heat, the
Bedding, Clothing, &c., of infected persons should be provided; and determined that
Messrs. Fraser, of Commercial Road East, should construct one for the use of the
inhabitants; they also appointed a Stoker to attend to the furnace of the disinfecting
chamber, and two more persons to disinfect rooms and collect articles supposed to be
infected, and take them home after they had been disinfected.
Papers were also circulated, containing directions for the management of the sick
room of afflicted patients and rules for disinfecting the rooms of infected persons
during their illness and after their recovery.
A suggestion was made to the Vestry, to make temporary accommodation for the
reception of patients afflicted with Small-pox, who did not require Poor Law relief,
but it was not considered expedient to entertain the subject, at that time.

By Cash paid for Bread, viz.:—

£s.d.£s.d.
Rule10160
Appleton10160
Rule820
Crowson10160
Clarke10160
Appleton2140
Ashby10160
Colls10160
Obermuller10160
Dietz10160
Appleton10160
Kilian10160
Farmer10160
Crowson10160
14080
Treasurer of Charity School, Hill and Bell's Charity300
Bennett's Charity, distributed in One Shilling Tickets900
Coat and Cloak Charity, distributed at Christmas600
Mrs. Embleton's Gift ditto ditto5010
Printing Tickets056
163144
Balance28410
£191192

Fever. Nine deaths were caused by Fever, which is below the average number.
Scarlatina destroyed the lives of twenty-one persons; in the first quarter, eight;
second quarter, one; third quarter, ten; and fourth quarter, two.
Small-pox. Twenty-three deaths were registered, and we may subtract three
cases which were sent from other parishes to the temporary Hospital and died therein;
so that twenty deaths are the number, actually due to the parishioners.
There was no change in the average rate of mortality from Small-pox, until the
last quarter, when nineteen deaths were registered.
As far as could be ascertained, sixteen of these patients had not been Vaccinated,
six had been Vaccinated, and one was not susceptible of its power.
Medical men who have had much experience in the performance of Vaccination, and
the treatment of Small-pox, are well agreed as to the protective power of Vaccination,
and the necessity for re-Vaccination; my convictions have been strengthened by two
facts, which I will narrate.
About ten years ago I attended a poor woman in her confinement late at night;
on the following morning when I visited her, the babe was lying beside her, and a