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41
The health of the district has been fully up to the average.
The expected visitation of Cholera happily was not realized,
though a large amount of Diarrhoea prevailed during the
summer months. Small Pox showed unmistakable signs
of becoming epidemic, but thanks to the prompt measures
taken for the removal of patients so afflicted (the ambulances
being as su ggested three years ago kept at a central
office it is only necessary to telegraph, and the patient is
generally removed within a few hours), the sanitary measures
pursued, and above all re-vaccination; up to the present
we have been able to check considerably this disease.
Of all the cases which have come under notice, there is
scarcely one below adult age, and when it is not so, they
are of such a modified character as to excite not the least
alarm for the patient's safety. So much has been said
in reference to vaccination and re-vaccination that I need not
here repeat its doctrines, but simply remark that the more
one sees of this terrible disease the more I am convinced of
the complete protective power of vaccination, and I strongly
support the efforts of the Board to bring this important fact
before the minds of all the inhabitants. If anything could
be necessary to further impress upon the people the benefits
conferred by this operation the following letter taken from
the Standard of this year will supply it.
To the Editor of the Standard.
Sir,—Referring to your article in The Evening Standard
of this date concerning Mr. Russell's answer to Mr. Hopwod's
interpellation on this subject, will you allow me through the
medium of your columns, to express my regret that Mr.
Russell was apparently ignorant of the overwhelming evidence
on this subject which the annals of this, the oldest, and for
more than a century, the sole hospital for Small Pox in
London, presents.