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32
It will be seen upon reference to Table Y. that 84
cases of Small Pox carne under the care of the District
Medical Officers; the majority within the last 3 months
of the year. Every case where practicable was removed
to one of the Small Pox Hospitals, at the earliest possible
moment, the houses and apartments disinfected, and the
rest of their inhabitants re vaccinated in those cases where
they could be induced to consent thereto.
When it is recorded by competent authorities that
within the last few centuries the death-rate was about
twice the present rate in the metropolis, and that one half
of these deaths were caused by Small Pox, we are inevitably
compelled to the conclusion that the mortality from
Small Pox was then equal to the whole number of deaths
from all causes at the present time. Nothing except vaccination
and re-vaccination is known which is effectual as a
preventitive to this disease; and its protective powers are
shewn by the fact that during the present outbreak
of the disease the majority of those who recovered
had been vaccinated in early life; while those who
died were either unvaccinated infants or adults in whom
the protection afforded by primary vaccination, in many
cases perhaps insufficient at the first in number of
vesicles, had to a certain extent become exhausted by the
changes which take place in the system during and after
puberty, when in all cases re-vaccination should be
performed—as is evidenced by the statements made by the
Medical Superintendents in the Official Reports of the
Small Pox Hospitals, that no case of Small Pox had been
admitted into those institutions where undoubtedly successful
re-vaccination has been performed,—and did we indeed
need further proof of its efficiency, we have only to refer
to the fact that ever since the establishment of special
hospitals for the reception of patients suffering from this
disease, a period of about 40 years, during which every
official and servant has been re-vaccinated on joining the
institution, in no instance, although in almost constant