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the unvaccinated, no less than 556 persons, instead of 181, would
have died out of the 1,000 attacked; the difference of 375 fairlyrepresenting
the number of lives saved through previous vaccination
amongst those alone who were actually attacked.
These proportions, however, vary considerably at different
ages. The child under one year old, it would appear, the least
seldom survives the disease, whether it has been vaccinated or notWhen
vaccinated it is much less liable to contract the disease, but,
if attacked, it also stands a far less chance of recovery than
vaccinated persons at other ages; whilst the chance of the survival
of an infant, if unvaccinated, is still further diminished.
Thus of 39 children under one year old who were attacked
with the disease, 24, or 61.5 per cent., died.
Of the 39 thus attacked, there were 25, or 64.1 per cent.,
unvaccinated; and 14, or 35.8 per cent., who had been vaccinated.
Of the 24 who died, 17, or 70.8 percent., were unvaccinated;
and 7, or 29.1 per cent., were vaccinated.
The mortality amongst the unvaccinated infants attacked
therefore, was 68 per cent.; and amongst the vaccinated, 50 per
cent.
A further study of these Tables would show many other
interesting and instructive variations; but in whatever light they
may be viewed, they could not fail, I think, to strengthen the
opinion that the full value of the protective power bestowed by
even primary vaccination, cannot be over estimated, either in regard
to the comparative immunity afforded from attack, or in the resisting
force which it exercises in modifying the baneful influences of the
disease. The progress of the epidemic has been marked by considerable
irregularity, as may be noted from the Table (No. IV.),
and the Diagram which illustrates the Table. The fresh cases will
be found traced in this diagram in black lines, week by week; and
the deaths in red lines, month by month. The fluctuations in its
course were frequent and erratic, a sudden fall in one locality being
simultaneously accompanied by a severe outbreak in another.
This may be seen from the Table (No. I.) showing the weekly
number of cases occurring in each Ward.
It was not until the warm weather of the month of June of the