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225
[1911
Bearing that in mind, let me invite your attention to this, that in the years
1848 to 1854—that is, before the introduction of compulsory vaccination—the
deaths of children under five years of age irom Small Pox* were 1,514 to every
million persons living, and that from 1885 to 1894 they were 50 to every
million persons living. Now take the other end of the scale—45 years and
upwards. Of course, those of that age would be no more affected by compulsory
vaccination between 1885 and 1894—the law having been passed in
1853—than children would be in the year prior to its introduction. In that
class the deaths only fell from 24 per million to 19. Then we had careful
investigation made into epidemics in five different towns."
Small Pox in Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Towns.
"A very exhaustive investigation had been previously made into the
disease in Sheffield, and our investigations were carried out with the advantage
gained by a study of the methods employed in the previous one. These
investigations were conducted by medical men selected by the Commission,
and with the full approval of those members of the Commission who were not
friendly to vaccination. Of course, if vaccination be specially a protection
under ten years of age, you would expect to find its inflnence apparent when
you are dealing with towns where vaccination prevails largely as compared
with towns where it was neglected. We have the figures for six towns.
In Sheffield and Warrington the proportion of deaths from Small Pox of
persons between one and ten years of age to those of all ages was about a
quarter. In Leicester and Gloucester the proportion of those dying from the
epidemic at those ages to the total deaths was between 60 and 70 per cent.
In London the proportion was about 35 per cent., and in Dewsbury about 50
per cent., or one half. That was a striking fact, and when you examine the
vaccination statistics of those towns you find that Warrington and Sheffield
were, on the whole, well vaccinated, that their condition as to vaccination was
practically the same, and that the proportion of deaths under ten years of age
to the total deaths was practically the same—namely, about 25 per cent. At
Gloucester and Leicester, where vaccination had been greatly neglected, and
where again the unvaccinated condition was approximately the same, the
proportion of those dying under ten to the total deaths was approximately the
same—between 60 and 70 per cent. Then, coming to London, which was
nearer in its proportion to Warrington and Sheffield, we find vaccination a
good deal neglected, and there the percentage was 35 per cent. ; and in
Dewsbury. where it was considerably more neglected, the proportion under
* The deaths for the years 1848-54 include also deaths registered as Chicken-pox.
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