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148
1891. We have ourselves, in many instances, instituted independent
inquiry.
The cases in which the death has been certified as connected
with vaccination cannot all be regarded as cases in which there
was the link of causation between them. Indeed, the medical
men whose certificates associated the two did not always intend
to indicate that the disease which ended in death had its origin in
vaccination. There have, no doubt, been other cases in which,
although the illness which ended fatally was engendered by vaccination,
there has been no mention of it in the certificate of death.
Whether these are sufficient in number to counterbalance, or more
than counterbalance those in the other category, the evidence
does not enable us to say.
Taking for the moment the 279 deaths during the years 1886
to 1891, certified as connected with vaccination, to have been
really so connected, how does this figure compare with the number
of vaccinations effected during the same period. The number of
primary vaccinations during the years 1890 and 1891 were not
put before us by Dr. Ogle; they had not then been published.
He stated, however, that in the years 1881 to 1889, inclusive, the
number of deaths certified as connected with vaccination was 476.
During those years there were 6,739,902 primary vaccinations,
showing the proportion of one death to 14,159 primary vaccinations.
There is, no doubt, that for the years 1886-91, it was not
substantially different. For the reasons stated in the preceding
paragraph it is not possible to fix with absolute certainty the
number of deaths connected with vaccination.
Since the first of June, 1889, we have, from time to time, been
informed from various sources of cases in which death or non-fatal
injury has been alleged or suggested to have been caused by, or
otherwise connected with vaccination with a view to their investigation,
and since the 14th of February, 1891, the Local Government
Board have immediately informed us of all such cases brought to
their notice. In March, 1892, the Home Office addressed a circular