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REPORT
ON THE
SANITARY CONDITION OF ST. MARY, ISLINGTON,
FOR MARCH, 1868.
No. CXXXI.
The death-rate during the month of March has been just one-sixth
less than the average death-rate of the corresponding five weeks during
the ten previous years. The deaths registered were 374, whereas the
customary death-rate would have brought them up to 450. There is
no one class of causes of death which has contributed more than usually
to the mortality. Small-pox alone has given me any uneasiness. Not
only should I be glad to see re-vaccination more extensively practised
among persons who have arrived at adult age, but I should also be glad
could any means be devised by which the character of the vaccination
effected could be improved. I fear the reputation of the preventive is
more or less risked by the difficulty in obtaining a more energetic virus
when that in use shows signs of defective power. The results commonly
obtained by vaccination now are poor when compared with those
obtained in the early days of vaccination, or when compared with
those produced when the lymph has passed through but few human
transmissions from the cow.
EDWARD BALLARD, M.D.,
Medical Officer of Health.
Vestry Offices,
April 6th, 1868.