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48
supply of fresh Lymph, is always at hand, which can be
readily transferred from arm to arm. This is by far the
best method, and none other should be resorted to under
ordinary circumstances. It is the fact of infants having
been inefficiently vaccinated, or stored Lymph having
been used, which led to many deplorable results evidenced
during the late epidemic, as the following extract from
Dr. McCann's report on Small Pox will show. "When a
considerable mortality occurring from Variola is seen
amongst those reported in statistical tables as having been
vaccinated, great allowance must be made for the correctness
of any conclusions formed from them, for I feel
convinced that not more than 20 per cent of all the cases
admitted into the Hospital bore cicatrices undoubtedly
genuine."
It is really gratifying to have lost sight of the Antivaccination
League, whose doctrines were calculated to do
much harm amongst a credulous class of the community.
The number of persons vaccinated at the station in this
district during the year was as under:—
Re-vaccinations
Vaccinations Total
1872 13 501 514
1871 786 1083 1869
The year 1871, showing such large numbers, was the
epidemic year of Small Pox, when 786 persons presented
themselves for re-vaccination. In 1872, when fears were
allayed, and the epidemic had subsided, only 13 were
performed ! The above table only shows the number of
vaccinations paid for by the Guardians, but no doubt as
many more were vaccinated by private practitioners in the
district. I should much like to give a table tracing out