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24
With reference to the first disease named in the table,
it may be remarked that the deaths due to that malady
were three less than in 1866, though at the same time it
cannot be contended, that with all the facilities afforded to
the public for vaccination, a mortality of 7 from Small-pox
is a slight one, or one which at all justifies us in relaxing
in our endeavours to still further reduce such mortality.
Of the 777 infants born in the parish in 1867, the parents
of 272 only had recourse to public vaccination for the protection
of their children.
It is true as many as 302 persons of all ages were vaccinated
by me as the public vaccinator, but of these 30
were re-vaccinations. It is a noteworthy fact, also, that 35
of the number above stated were primary vaccinations of
members of families whose ages ranged from 2 to 40 years,
and who, for the most part, appeared to have been
frightened into a submission to the operation by the
circumstance of having at the time relatives or friends in
close proximity, either dead or dying of small pox.
While such a state of things exists, it is little wonder
that this fearful disease should so repeatedly invade our
densely populated locality. Year after year I have spoken
strongly on this subject, yet the thoughtless and unreflecting
are, I find, as averse as ever they were to take
timely advantage of the means of averting or of rendering
the disease less fatal, which is to be found in carefully performed
vaccination at a proper age.
With regard to the mortality due to the other principal
diseases of the Zymotic class, a glance at the table will
show how very favoured has been this sub-district during
the past year.
The low mortality from fever is also a most gratifying
result of judicious sanitation.
Disease and Mortality amongst the Union Poor.—The
table No. 5, Appendix, needs no comment. It shows that 60
deaths took place amongst this class. Of 1,073 cases
treated during the year, this is not an unusual death-rate,