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thus the epidemic only abated in severity in 1879 and 1880,
and became again extremely severe in 1881, so severe that
the Small-pox death-rate of 1881 was only exceeded seven
times in the previous 43 years.
" In 885 of the 2,371 fatal cases of Small-pox, no reliable
statement was made as to previous vaccination or nonvaccination.
Of the remaining 1,486, only 524, or 35*3
per cent., were certified to have been vaccinated, while 962,
or 64-7 per cent., were certified to have been unvaccinated."
Among the unvaccinated about three-quarters of the
deaths occurred in persons under 20 years of age, while
among the vaccinated three-quarters of the deaths occurred
in persons over 20 years of age; this shows quite clearly
that vaccinated people are protected during the early years
of life, and that the protection diminishes, and requires to
be renewed by revaccination.
On account of the interest attaching to the question of
Small-pox Hospitals in the Metropolis, the Registrar-General
has compiled a Table, showing the deaths from Small-pox
in the various Metropolitan Districts during the 5 years
1877 to 1881.
From this table it appears that, on dividing the Districts
into 5 groups—Central, Western, Southern, Northern, and
Eastern, the mortality was least in the Central Group and
greatest in the Eastern Group ; and in neither of these
groups is there a Small-pox Hospital.
" The group with the lowest Small-pox death-rate is the
one which contains no Hospital, but sends the largest
proportion of its cases to Hospitals outside its limits. The
group with the highest Small-pox death-rate is that which
has no Hospital within its limits, and makes less use than
any other of the Hospitals outside its limits."
These results are particularly interesting to our Parish,
as we have no Small-pox or Fever Hospital within our
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