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78
quarter of a century was in any respect a dividing line. So far
as England is concerned a new epoch commenced in 1837. There
was nothing to distinguish the phenomena observable between
1825 and 1837 from those of the preceding years of the century,
and the only mortality statistics in our possession relating to those
intervening years became not more but less accurate and
satisfactory.
In the year 1837, however, the present system of registration
of deaths commenced in England, so that from that period
more exact statistics of Small-Pox mortality are available. In
Scotland a similar system of registration was not initiated until
1855, and in Ireland until 1864. In the latter country, however,
information with reference to the mortality in preceding years
was, prior to the registration of deaths, acquired when the
decennial census was taken. This practice commenced at the
period of the census in 1841.
Before proceeding to inquire what light the records of
Small-Pox mortality in England, Scotland, and Ireland, during
the years when more accurate information has existed as to
Small-Pox mortality, throws upon the question of the effect of
vaccination, it will be convenient to make a brief statement of
the laws which have been from time to time passed with reference
to that practice. This is important, because it has been argued
that a connexion may be observed between the diminution of
Small-pox in the epochs subsequent to the different Acts passed
by the Legislature, for the purpose of encouraging or compelling
vaccination, and the increase of vaccination which would naturally
result from those enactments.
Although the House of Commons had made grants to
Jenner in 1802 and 1806, and annual grants to the National
Vaccine Establishment, which was founded by Royal Warrant
in the following year, no statute was passed dealing with the
matter until the 23rd July, 1840. On that day the Act 3 and 4