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nation to those in the house who had not recently
been vaccinated, also desired that friends should abstain
from visiting the patient. If the patient was removed
to the Smallpox Hospital, the room and its contents
were at once thoroughly and efficiently disinfected by
your Sanitary Officer; in the event of the patients
remaining at their own homes, the rooms and the dirty
linen were disinfected when the cases became convalescent.
In a great number of instances it was difficult
or impossible to ascertain where Smallpox existed, from
the reluctance of friends in making public the fact of
having Smallpox in the house for fear of injury to their
business, &c. To remedy this, by your instructions, I
sent a copy of the following letter to every Medical
Gentleman in the Parish and neighbourhood :—
"Vestry Hall,
St. Martin-in-the-Fields,
February 1872.
"Dear Sir,
"In consequence of the still prevalent state of
Smallpox in the Metropolis, the Vestry of this Parish,
anxious to limit its ravages, has passed a Resolution, in
accordance with which I am requested to address a letter
to every Medical Gentleman in this neighbourhood, to ask
him to communicate to me any fresh case of this disease
that may occur in his practice, in this Parish, so that
means may be taken to prevent the further propagation of
the malady.