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47
case was sent to the Ministry of Health and to the medical
officers of health of all neighbouring districts, including
London.
As Medical Officer of Health, I vaccinated 21 contacts
under the Public Health (Small-pox Prevention) Regulations
and a considerable number were vaccinated by private
practitioners and by the Public Vaccinator, to whose
authority notice of the occurrence of the case was sent.
The case was seen in consultation with me by one of
the Medical Officers of the Ministry of Health and the
diagnosis confirmed.
As slated above, the patient was removed to the small
separation block at the Hospital for Infectious Diseases at
Whitton, all members of the staff of which were revaccinated.
The Council expressed their appreciation of the services
of the Sanitary Inspectors and of the Matron and nursing
and domestic staff who all volunteered for smallpox duty,
and to whose efforts the satisfactory result was chiefly due.
Fortunately at the time, there were only a very small
number of cases of ordinary infectious disease at the
Hospital and these, with the remainder of the staff, were
removed to the small Hospital at the Mereway which was
last used for small-pox in 1902, and which was partially
furnished in anticipation of the occurrence of cases of
typhoid fever some years ago.
The case of small-pox was not removed to this little
Hospital for the following reasons. It was considered likely
that several cases might arise and the amount of accommodation
for patients at the Mereway Hospital is very limited.
The staff accommodation only allows for two nurses and
there is no provision for resident domestic staff, and in
addition, no staff, either nursing or domestic, was available