Observations of the Medical Officer of Health [E.W. Hope] upon the report of Dr. R.J. Reece to the Local Government Board on smallpox and smallpox hospitals at Liverpool, 1902-3.

  • Hope, E. W. (Edward William), 1855-1950
Date:
1905
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Observations of the Medical Officer of Health [E.W. Hope] upon the report of Dr. R.J. Reece to the Local Government Board on smallpox and smallpox hospitals at Liverpool, 1902-3. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    marked on the maps, no matter what period elapsed l^etween the attacks of the inmates. Study of these maps shows that the first case of smallpox, of the epidemic that is under review, occurred near the centre of the City. This house, which is a common lodging-house, became infected by an imported case from the shipping, the first Liverpool patient being a resident in the house. Omitting imported cases, no further Liverpool person was attacked until the second week in January, 1902. The patients from these houses earliest invaded, as well as imported cases from the shipping, were, as has been stated, removed to the Priory Road Hospital. Having obtained these data, I had to study the Liverpool Smallpox Hospitals, singly and in the aggregate, in reference to considerations which follow:— “ (1) Has the inhabited area within a mile in each instance of hospital suffered more sevemly than the rest of Tnverpool? And, if so, “ (2) Has the exceptional incidence within that area corre- sponded in point of time (having regard, of course, to the period of incubation of smallpox), to the use of the hospital for the treatment of acute smallpox cases? And— (3) Is there evidence that within the several ‘ one- mile areas,’ as they may be termed, dwellings nearer to hospital sustained a heavier incidence of smallpox than those farther away? “ It must be remembered that smallpox has a definite incubative period, and that the earliest symptom of the disease does not declare itself until some twelve days after infection, consequently the figures in the tables of this report must be considered with due recognition of this fact.” ^5= # His answer to these questions, on i>age 15 of his Report, are as follows;— “ (1) Inhabited areas within a mile of each of the three Liverpool Smallpox Hospitals have suffered more severely from smallpox than the City as a whole. “ (2) Exceptional incidence of smallpox within these areas lias corresponded in point of time with the use of these hospitals foi' the treatment of acute smallpox cases. “ (3) Broadly S|)eaking, within these hospital areas the dwellings nearer to hospital have sustained a far heavier incidence of smallpox than those farther away.” It is clear that Dr. Reece bases his case and his conclusions upon maps, carefully prepared, and of admitted accuracy. So confident is he that this view comprehends the entire question that no other consideration of the kind suggested by Mr. Power is denied worthy even of mention.
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