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3. Vaccination and Re-vaccination.—Out of the 275
cases, 77 had not been vaccinated at any time in their lives; the 194
others had been vaccinated in infancy. In no case did small-pox
occur in any one who had been re-vaccinated. In no. case did smallpox
occur in anyone who had been vaccinated within 10 years,
except in the cases of seven young children, who had been in close
contact with persons suffering acutely from the disease. In one case
two children slept with their parents whilst the latter were suffering
from the disease, and in another case two children were nursed by a
mother having small-pox. The Royal Commission on Vaccination,
1896, concluded (p. 99) that the protection vaccination affords
against small-pox may be stated as follows :—
"(1) That it diminishes the liability to be attacked by the disease.
(2) That it modifies the character of the disease and renders it less
fatal and of a less severe type (3) That the protection it affords
against attacks of the disease is greatest during the years immediately
succeeding the operation of vaccination. It is impossible to fix, with
precision, the length of this period of highest protection. Though not
in all cases the same, if a period is to be fixed, it might, we think, fairly
be said to cover in general a period of nine or ten years. (4) That after
the lapse of the period of highest protective potency, the efficacy of
vaccination to protect against attack rapidly diminishes, but that it is
still considerable in the next quinquennium, and possibly never
altogether ceases. (5) That its power to modify the character of the
disease is also greatest in the period in which its power to protect from
attack is greatest, but that its power thus to modify the disease does not
diminish as rapidly as its protective influence against attacks, and its
efficacy during the later periods of life to modify the disease is still very
considerable. (6) That re-vaccination restores the protection which
lapse of time has diminished, but the evidence shows that this protection
again diminishes, and that to ensure the highest degree of protection
which vaccination can give, the operation should be at intervals repeated.
(7) That the beneficial effects of vaccination are most experienced by
those in whose case it has been most thorough. We think it may be
fairly concluded that where the vaccine matter is inserted in three
or four places it is more effectual than when introduced into one or two
places only, and that if the vaccination marks are of an area of half a
square inch they indicate a better state of protection than if their area
be at all considerably below this."
The following table sets out in detail the cases, deaths and
mortality per cent. in relation to vaccination for the whole
epidemic in the Borough of Finsbury :—