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subversive of such a position. They show, independently of the
plain fact that a very large proportion of persons go through life
without ever contracting this disease; that the longer an attack is
deferred the less likely it is to occur at all ; and not only so, but
that, even supposing it to occur eventually, the less likely it is to
end fatally.
He-vaccination—During the last epidemic of small-pox, at
my request, the public vaccinators were authorised to re-vaccinate
at the expense of this Board children between 12 and 15 years of
age, as I was strongly of opinion that the latter age, which was
the lowest limit fixed by the Local Government Board for revaccination
was too high for the public safety. An order has
lately been issued by the Local Government Board modifying
that of 1868, reducing the age at which re-vaccination can be performed
und r ordinary circumstances, at the expense of the Poor
Law Authority, to 12 years, and to 10 years when small-pox is
prevalent, as it has been shewn by recent experience that the
protective power of vaccination performed in infancy becomes
much reduced at or soon after that age. The public vaccinator
is not bound to re-vaccinate a person if he considered it unnecessary,
or if he has not a sufficient supply of lymph for
primary vaccination, so that the new order will not necessarily
interfere with the vaccination of infants as it might otherwise
have done. The term public vaccinator will also now apply
to the medical officer of a workhouse, separate workhouse school,
or workhouse infirmary, provided he performs vaccination in
either of these institutions under contract. A further important
provision is contained in the the order, viz. :—" That a public
vaccinator to a workhouse may re-vaccinate children under his
charge, at any ago, provided that he makes a record that in his
opinion he considers the original vaccination to be at that time
insufficient for the proper protection of the child." This order
is to me very satisfactory, as it shows that the expenditure I
advised the Board to incur in 1883 was necessary for and
beneficial to the public health of this district.
There were 47 cases of Diphtheria reported to me during