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74
Calf lymph was employed when parents expressed the wish
to have it. The revaccinations at the Stations and the
Infirmary were 663 in number, including 602 at the Infirmary.
The Report of the Royal Commission.—In the last
annual report it was observed that the delay in the production
of the report of the Commission," by encouraging Boards of
Guardians to disregard their duty of carrying out the law,
had produced disastrous results, of which the country will
feel the effects for many years to come." I am of the same
opinion still, but I have the satisfaction now of recording the
fact that the report has now been presented to Parliament
and published. The Commission, substantially, was appointed
to consider the case in favour of, and the case against
vaccination. The report is signed by all but two of the
surviving members of the Commission, a note of great
length being appended by the two dissentient members; who,
though they do not sign the report, yet admit a measure of
protective influence against smallpox in vaccination; but,
nevertheless, would not have vaccination enforced even to the
moderate extent which their colleagues approve and recommend.
The opinion which the Commission entertain as to
the case for vaccination, may be inferred from the expression
of their hope that their report will have the effect of stimulating
belief in the protective efficacy of the operation, the
dangers of which have been exaggerated by the opponents of
vaccination. These dangers, insignificant as they are in the
aggregate, would be reduced to an almost imperceptible
minimum by the invariable use of calf lymph, as recommended.
Given efficient infant vaccination, and revaccination at the
age of 12 years, a course which the Commission advocate, but
without recommending that it be made compulsory, there is
reason for believing that smallpox would at no distant time
lose its terrors, even if it did not lapse to the category of
extinct diseases. The report recommends the repeal of the
law which enables the vaccination authority (the Board of