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As I mentioned last year, Small Pox absent, no fear
prevailing, and re-vaccination forgotten, the indifference of
persons in this matter is to be regretted ; for perfect
immunity from death from Small Pox is all but guaranteed
by efficient vaccination and re-vaccination. Where four
good cicatrices are left, experience at all hospitals proves
that not a single death has taken place! The wisdom of
appointing a Vaccination Officer is shown by the fact that
every infant is knowD either to be vaccinated, to have
died, or to have been pronounced by medical certificate
unfitted by disease to undergo the operation.
Disease and Mortality amongst the Union Poor.—
The number of cases which came under treatment was 445,
180 being males and 265 females. 42 were sent into the
Infirmary, 12 to Lunatic Asylums, and 2 to Hospitals.
On reference to Table V., Appendix, will be found the
nature of the diseases. It will be seen that not a single
case of Scarlet Fever occurred during the year, and only
one of Small Pox. There were 25 cases of Diarrhoea,
Cholera 1, Measles 11, Erysipelas 10, and Fever 0—by no
means large numbers, especially when wo consider the
liability of the poor to these classes of disease, owing to
their conditions of living, &c. The number of deaths which
took place was 20, viz., males 16, Females 10, being at the
rate of 5'9 per cent.—a very small death-rate when it is
remembered the large numbers of aged and infirm persons
which fall to the care of the District Medical Officers.
Sanitary Inspections and Proceedings.—Many important
sanitary matters have been efficiently dealt with
during the year, and have been the subjects of much labour
and repeated lengthened reports. Several applications for
magisterial interference have had to be made, but the
great majority of orders served for the removal of nuisances
were complied with. Houses in which cases of Fever had
occurred were fumigated and cleansed by means of burning
sulphur, the clothes and bedding hung on lines across the
room, and thus brought under the full action of the
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