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way encouraged," and "we think steps should be taken to impress on
parents the importance of having their children re-vaccinated not later
than at the age of 12 years." Public vaccinators should be allowed to
offer calf lymph as a substitute for human lymph in all cases in which
it may be preferred. The discontinuance of the enforcement of repeated
penalties for non-vaccination is advocated. The extension of the present
age limit from three to six months, and the requirement of the vaccination
of all children who may be received into any school or institution,
and the requirement of re-vaccination of all children at any school or
institution on their attaining the age of twelve years, might with
advantage be embodied in any legislation which may be enacted by
Parliament for the purpose of amending the Vaccination Laws.
Scarlet Fever.—Two hundred and ninety-one cases of this disease
were registered, against 308 for the previous year, and of these 172
were removed to hospitals. The fatal cases were seven, or one less than
for the preceding year. The cases appear to have been mostly of a
mild type, for the mortality reached only 2.4 per cent.
Diphtheria.—The total number of cases notified was 189, against
112 for 1895, 96 for 1894, and 158 for 1893. The deaths registered
from this cause numbered 29, an increase of 16 on the previous year,
and equal to a mortality of 15 per cent. on registered cases. The
London death-rate from diphtheria in 1893 considerably exceeded the
average rate in the ten years, 1886-1895. The death-rate from
diphtheria per 1000 living is stated by the Registrar-General in his
report to be, for the year under notice, for the Metropolis 0.59, whilst
that for Hampstead was 0.39. The number of cases of diphtheria sent
into Hospitals from Hampstead was 73.
Owing to insufficient hospital accommodation some delay was
experienced during the summer months in securing the early removal
of cases; but it must be remembered that since the passing of the
Notification of Diseases Act, and the removal of restrictions which
prevented any person who did not wish to be classed as a pauper from
being an inmate of any of the Board's hospitals, the work of making
provision for patients has been enormously increased.