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ation, coming from a locality where small-pox is prevalent, can be placed with others, without
the risk of communicating the disease, unless a period of 12* days has elapsed from the time of
leaving such locality. In order to prevent the spreading of small-pox in schools or in other
places where persons are congregated together, it would be most desirable, on the appearance
of the first case of the disease, to vaccinate every one in such establishments, and to limewash
and thoroughly ventilate the day and sleeping rooms.
The prevention of small-pox is a matter now engaging much public attention, and it is
highly probable that an alteration will be made in the Compulsory† Vaccination Act, as the
provisions of that act have not produced the desired effect in bringing the whole of the infant
population under the influence of vaccination ; but until an amended general act be passed, it
behoves all public authorities having the care of large establishments, when small-pox is epidemic,
to take the best advice that can be obtained on this important subject, and to act upon
it. Much might be done in the way of extending the protecting influence of vaccination,
by a co-operation on the part of all guardians of the poor and district vaccinators,
in devising a plan, whereby, the name and address of every child born in their district, might
be brought to the knowledge of the vaccinators, who should be required to call at every house,
where a birth had taken place within four months of the date of the birth. The vaccinator
should be required to visit, from time to time, all public schools in the district, and examine
each child to ascertain whether it has been properly vaccinated.
In order that uniformity may be observed in the performance of vaccination, and greater
protection from Small-pox insured, ‡ it has been suggested that not less than five or six punctures
be made in the arms of each child,—that lymph should never be taken after the seventh or eighth
day (the seventh much to be preferred) from the period of the performance of the operation ; and
then only, when the lymph is pellucid,—that lymph should be taken from a healthy child only,
and who is born of healthy parents,—that lymph should never be taken from a child who has
been re-vaccinated.
The Board having received a letter directing their attention to the cause of the great
increase of small-pox, the letter was committed to my charge, in order that I might make a
report upon the subject. The preceding remarks upon the disease having been previously prepared,
I respectfully submit them for the consideration of the Board.
The number of inquests held during last year was 195, during the previous year the
number was 216.
In most of the cases of sudden death, in which inquests have been held during the last
three months, the causes of death have been ascertained by a post mortem examination. Whenever
the cause of death, in cases of sudden death, is not apparent, a post mortem examination
of the body should always be made, for, by this proceeding, not only will the statistics of the
causes of death be more accurate, but crime may be to some extent prevented.
In the quarter terminating December 31st, 59 inquests were held, among which, are
three children, whose deaths wrere occasioned by suffocation ; in one case, the jury returned the
verdict "Found dead, Suffocation, but they thought it was not accidental,"—another case, the
verdict was "Suffocation in bed accidentally,"—in the third case, the child is registered as
illegitimate, and the verdict, " Suffocation in bed."
* Fourteen days intervene before the eruption appears.
+ This act is very unsatisfactory to the local registrars, inasmuch as it gives them a great deal of
trouble in filling up a paper for the parent or guardian at the time of the registration of a birth, containing
directions respecting vaccination, while the registrars are not paid the small fee allowed by the act, until they
have received a certificate from the vaccinator of the district, that the child has been successfully vaccinated. If
the child be vaccinated out of the district, notwithstanding all the registrar's previous trouble, he loses his fee ;
and upon enquiry I learn, that a great number of the children registered in one district, are vaccinated in another.
The act is also unsatisfactory to the public vaccinators; for many persons on bringing children to be vaccinated,
give a false address to the vaccinator, with a view of preventing him from obtaining a supply of lymph from the
child all traces of such child are therefore lost, and whether it has been successfully vaccinated or otherwise is,
unknown, The act does not authorize the inliictiou of a penalty for the giving of a false address.
‡ See Report for April, 1859*