The smallpox epidemic in South Wales 1962
The epidemic on everyone's minds today is the one we are living through, the novel Coronavirus or Covid 19. This is different in an important aspect in that it is a pandemic being experienced worldwide.But did you know that we experienced an epidemic here in the U.K over 50 years ago ?
The facts are these.
In early 1962 South Wales experienced an outbreak of smallpox.
At the time smallpox was killing millions worldwide every year. This was before the vaccination programme reached all parts of the globe.
19 people died in the outbreak in South Wales. Of these 6 were in the Rhondda valley and 13 in Bridgend. A small number, yes , but that's thanks to the vaccination programme which protected the population. 900,000 people were vaccinated in South Wales. I remember queueing to be vaccinated in school. Many people experienced severe side effects from the vaccine but the population were thereby protected from the illness .
Of course the crucial difference with the coronavirus epidemic is that there is no vaccination available to combat it.
How did the smallpox virus come to South Wales ?
First transmission - Pakistan to Cardiff
The virus came to South Wales via a traveller from Pakistan who said he had been vaccinated against smallpox but there was no evidence of the vaccination having taken. He did not know he was a carrier but when he became ill while staying in Butetown, Cardiff. Smallpox was diagnosed and he was sent to Penrhys isolation hospital in the Rhondda valley.
The hunt was on to trace his contacts since arriving in the U.K. Meantime the press found out about the case and the South Wales Echo ran the headline on 16th January 1962 :- SMALLPOX IN CARDIFF
As you can imagine there was widespread panic and alarm and queues formed at doctors' surgeries as people demanded to be inocculated against the disease.
Second group of cases - The Rhondda Cluster
Now somehow the virus jumped from Cardiff to Ferndale in the Rhondda valley. A lady who died in childbirth there was found during her autopsy to have smallpox. A consultant who was present at that autopsy also contracted smallpox and died. This was at the East Glamorgan hospital in Church village. Unfortunately the consultant was the only person, staff or patient, to refuse to have the vaccination and he paid for that omission with his life.
Third group - the Bridgend Cluster of cases.
Meanwhile a neighbour of the lady who died in Ferndale had also become a carrier of the disease and , tragically, she was a nurse at Glanrhyd psychiatric hospital in Bridgend. She transmitted the virus to patients there. Almost all the patients at the hospital had been vaccinated but not the elderly ladies on a dementia ward and 13 of them died of smallpox. The remaining patients on the ward were locked in to be isolated with 7 nurses trained in barrier nursing who volunteered to stay. The nurses who bravely put their own lives at risk were given watches in recognition.
A BBC documentary about the outbreak was made for the 50th anniversary in 2002. Three of the nurses from Bridgend were interviewed. As they said,
"We were just doing our duty "
Thank goodness for the medical staff who take on the battle against epidemics .
The facts are these.
In early 1962 South Wales experienced an outbreak of smallpox.
At the time smallpox was killing millions worldwide every year. This was before the vaccination programme reached all parts of the globe.
19 people died in the outbreak in South Wales. Of these 6 were in the Rhondda valley and 13 in Bridgend. A small number, yes , but that's thanks to the vaccination programme which protected the population. 900,000 people were vaccinated in South Wales. I remember queueing to be vaccinated in school. Many people experienced severe side effects from the vaccine but the population were thereby protected from the illness .
Of course the crucial difference with the coronavirus epidemic is that there is no vaccination available to combat it.
How did the smallpox virus come to South Wales ?
First transmission - Pakistan to Cardiff
The virus came to South Wales via a traveller from Pakistan who said he had been vaccinated against smallpox but there was no evidence of the vaccination having taken. He did not know he was a carrier but when he became ill while staying in Butetown, Cardiff. Smallpox was diagnosed and he was sent to Penrhys isolation hospital in the Rhondda valley.
The hunt was on to trace his contacts since arriving in the U.K. Meantime the press found out about the case and the South Wales Echo ran the headline on 16th January 1962 :- SMALLPOX IN CARDIFF
As you can imagine there was widespread panic and alarm and queues formed at doctors' surgeries as people demanded to be inocculated against the disease.
Second group of cases - The Rhondda Cluster
Now somehow the virus jumped from Cardiff to Ferndale in the Rhondda valley. A lady who died in childbirth there was found during her autopsy to have smallpox. A consultant who was present at that autopsy also contracted smallpox and died. This was at the East Glamorgan hospital in Church village. Unfortunately the consultant was the only person, staff or patient, to refuse to have the vaccination and he paid for that omission with his life.
Third group - the Bridgend Cluster of cases.
Meanwhile a neighbour of the lady who died in Ferndale had also become a carrier of the disease and , tragically, she was a nurse at Glanrhyd psychiatric hospital in Bridgend. She transmitted the virus to patients there. Almost all the patients at the hospital had been vaccinated but not the elderly ladies on a dementia ward and 13 of them died of smallpox. The remaining patients on the ward were locked in to be isolated with 7 nurses trained in barrier nursing who volunteered to stay. The nurses who bravely put their own lives at risk were given watches in recognition.
A BBC documentary about the outbreak was made for the 50th anniversary in 2002. Three of the nurses from Bridgend were interviewed. As they said,
"We were just doing our duty "
Thank goodness for the medical staff who take on the battle against epidemics .
 |
| Watch given to a nurse at Bridgend |
Comments
Post a Comment