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and 161 unvaccinated cases of whom 79 died, a percentage of 49.07.
Similar evidence is supplied by every epidemic of Small-pox which
prevails, and its effects upon two classes of persons living under
circumstances which expose them to Small-pox infection, the one the
vaccinated class, the other the unvaccinated class can be compared.
Comparison of the two classes may be made in respect of liability
to attack, and among those who are attacked, in respect of liability
to death. The evidence is not limited to one town or to one country.
It is a universal experience which is demonstrated in every community
and every Small-pox hospital at the times of epidemic.
During the past year a very large number of staff have joined the
ships and the Gore Farm Hospital, but not one case of Small-pox has
occurred. Not one of the staff of the Hospital Ships has ever died of
Small-pox, and not one has even suffered from the disease for the
past 8 years. The explanation is to be found in the sole fact that
each member of the staff is compelled to submit to re-vaccination.
In the hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylums Board in 1877-95, no
fewer than 704 of the attendants contracted scarlet fever, diphtheria, or
enteric fever. How is it as regards Small-pox ? At Homerton Hospital
in 1871-77 366 persons were employed. All but one were re-vaccinated
and she was the only one who took Small-pox. In the Highgate
Hospital the Royal Commission found that since May, 1883, of 137
nurses and attendants, 30 had had Small-pox before entering the service;
of the other 107 all except the gardener were re-vaccinated, and the
gardener was the only one who took Small-pox. In the Sheffield
hospitals, in the year ending 31st March, 1888, there were treated
1,798 Small-pox patients. The total number of attendants, etc., was
161. Of these 18 had had Small-pox previously and escaped attack;
63 had been vaccinated in infancy, of whom six were attacked and
one died; the other 80 were successfully re-vaccinated, and not one
contracted Small-pox. In Leicester, however, where vaccination is
neglected, some of the nurses refused re-vaccination. In the outbreak
there the total hospital staff consisted of 40 persons. Of these 14 had
either had Small-pox or had been re-vaccinated before the outbreak,