[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lambeth].

  • Lambeth (London, England). Parish. Vestry.
Date:
1877
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Credit: [Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lambeth]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: City of London, London Metropolitan Archives

    26/62 (page 24)
    24 The two first cases were those of labouring youths (one of whom was un-vaccinated) employed on an estate in an infected district at Brixton. There were 20 eases, and nine deaths in the two streets. On receiving information of the prevalence of Small Pox in the neighbourhood, which, however, was not until the announcement of the first death, I visited the locality and used all possible means at my command to prevent the spread of the disease. All children residing in the infected District were excluded from school, hand-bills giving instructions as to Vaccination, and showing the penalties for exposing infected articles, &c., were distributed from house to house, the thorough cleansing of all drains and closets was observed, the isolation of the sick, and the speedy disinfection and removal of the dead was in all cases carried out without hindrance. The Clergy and District Visitors rendered very important aid. VACCINATION AND RE-VACCINATION. Observing the number of children attacked by Small Pox under the age of twelve years—the age under which payment for re vaccination is not allowed by the Local Government Board to the Public Vaccinators, even during an epidemic of Small Pox.* in the latter part of the year 1876, I directed the attention of the Vestry to the urgent necessity that existed for the examination of all children at our public schools by the appointed Vaccinator, with a view to ascertain whether they were sufficiently protected by primary Vaccination. Under the new system of Compulsory Education it is important to bear in mind, that the children attending our Public Schools *One hundred and one deaths, or more tban two-fifths of the total deaths from Small Pox, in Lambeth, were iu children under twelve years of age.