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country as it is in Germany, instead of 6,761 persons dying of Small-pox
during the above period, the number recorded would have been only 353.
In other words, 6,408 lives have been sacrificed owing to the weakness
shown by successive Governments in yielding to the unreasoning prejudice
of anti-vaccinationists.
SMALL-POX.
In April last, in consequence of a slight recrudescence of Small-pox in the
metropolis, enquiries were made at the premises of 40 City firms where
contacts were reported. In all 1,476 persons were visited. Of these, 804
were found sufficiently safeguarded, and 248 were forthwith either vaccinated
or re-vaccinated, the remainder refusing further protection.
On the 5th April, on making enquiries at a restaurant near the City boundary,
one of the employes was found to be suffering from Small-pox while actively
engaged in preparing food. It was further ascertained that another young
woman had recently returned to work after an attack of Influenza and
"Chicken-pox." Medical confirmation being obtained, the case was duly
notified, and the patient removed to hospital. The restaurant was at once
closed, and the premises, linen, &c., disinfected. In the meantime the entire
staff of eleven persons was re-vaccinated.
There was only one other case of Small-pox notified during 1904; this was
also from some premises on the City boundary.
In the course of the year 67 enquiries were conducted in cases of notification
of persons having been in contact with persons suffering from Small-pox
outside the City. In these investigations 4,004 employees of various firms
were seen, of whom 2,490 were found to be properly protected; of the others,
753 were induced to submit to re-vaccination.
In January last year I submitted a Report to the Sanitary Committee upon
some recommendations made to the St. Pancras Borough Council by their
Medical Officer of Health, to which the Corporation of London, together with
other Metropolitan Boroughs, were invited to subscribe by the St. Pancras
Borough Council. These were drawn up with the object of securing additional
powers for preventing the spread of infection from Small-pox.
0
These recommendations were to the following effect:—
"To request the London County Council to insert Section 42 of the
"Brighton Corporation Act in their next General Powers Bill, as under :—
"When an inmate of any building used for human habitation within
"the Borough is suffering from any infectious disease, then, unless such
"building is a hospital in which persons suffering from an infectious