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8
Vaccination.
The following return shows the number of successful primary vaccinations
for each Quarter during the year 1871, and for the two Quarters
ending 29th June, 1872; and also the number of births registered.

Owing to the exertions of the Vaccination Officer in calling upon
the parents of all the children who have been born in this District and
have obtained the age of three months, a very favourable result as regards
the number of vaccinations is shown in the above table. This table,
however, only shows the number of vaccinations which are paid for by
the Guardians, but it appears from the returns furnished to me by Mr.
Vallance that, from certificates obtained, 284 children resident in the
District have been successfully vaccinated by private practitioners, making
a total for this Quarter of 605. As it is estimated that about eleven per
cent. of the children born in this District die before they have obtained
the age of four months, it appears from the above returns that the total
number of successful vaccinations has been very satisfactory. But as 284 of
the vaccinations are divided amongst the several medical practitioners in
the District, the average number of vaccinations performed by each gentleman
is comparatively small, I venture most respectfully to express my
opinion, that from the large number of vaccinations which are performed
by the public vaccinator, it would be better for the protection of the
public against the fatality of small-pox, that all the children should be
vaccinated by that officer.
It is of the utmost importance that the operation of vaccination
should be performed in a uniform manner; for it is stated on the authority
of those most competent to form an opinion that the mortality from
small-pox is in the inverse ratio of the number of cicatrices, and that
success cannot be relied on unless four good cicatrices are left on the
arm of the child; thence it is necessary for every medical practitioner
who vaccinates to adopt the recommendation of making at least four
punctures with the lancet charged with recent lymph, and not to regard
the wishes of the parent to make only one or two punctures.
Dr. McCann, in his valuable report on small-pox which was recently
made to the Committee of Management of the Stockwell Fever and
Small-pox Hospitals, makes the following remarks, "When a considerable
mortality occurring from variola is seen amongst those reported in
statistical tables as having been vaccinated, great allowance must be
made for the correctness of any conclusion formed from them; for I feel
convinced that not more than 20 per cent. of all the cases admitted into