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152
1902]
THE STATE OF VACCINATION.
The returns here presented relate to the calendar year of 1901, and
to primary vaccinations only.
Primary Yacoinations.—It is satisfactory to be able to report that
the vaccination returns are the best since 1894. Whether or not
this has arisen through the fright which so many people received when Small
Pox broke out in the second half of the year, or to the fact that now that
the conscientious objector can secure a certificate of exemption for his child,
it would be difficult to surmise. Perhaps it would be near the truth to say
that both influences have been at work.
In 1901 there were 9,266 births returned to the Vaccination Officers, and
of these children 852 died unvaccinated, thus leaving 8,414 who were liable
to vaccination. Of these 8,414 no less than 6,382, or 75 8 per cent., were
vaccinated. This is the best return since 1894, when the vaccinations reached
84.0 per cent.
The numbers with which the Vaccination Officers could deal were further
reduced by the fact that 106 were exempted on the production of magistrates'
certificates granted to conscientious objectors, 107 were excused on medical
grounds, and 29 were insusceptible to vaccination; so that finally there
remained 790 children who were unaccounted for. In these cases the infants
had escaped vaccination for the most part by the removal of their parents to
other districts, not necessarily to evade vaccination, where they could not be
traced. The migration of the labouring classes in search of work is mainly
responsible for this deficit in vaccination. It is not improbable, however, that
some of these children were subsequently vaccinated, for not all the working
classes are opposed to vaccination.
The following statement has been prepared to show more readily than in
7 able CIX., which is planned on the Local Government Board model, the
percentage proportions of vaccinations to births (less those children who died
before vaccination had been performed), during the last twenty-two years.