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disease shortly after occurred, and she was the only other
inmate of the house who contracted Small Pox from the first
case. Such persons are constantly exposed to risk of death
from the most loathsome of diseases, and no one can protect
themselves against the chances of exposure to infection.
Persons suffering from Small Pox may while highly infectious
have but a few pimples on their body, which escape serious
attention, and thus while associating with others they may convey
a fatal disease to those unprotected by vaccination. In a house
situated in Somers Town, in the latter part of 1884, a woman
living in one of the kitchens suffered from what I am told was
regarded as "a severe cold with pimples on the face," but which
subsequent events led to the conclusion was modified Small Pox.
About three weeks later her husband was attacked with this
disease, and was removed to the Hospital where he died; a
neighbour who attended her during her illness was attacked with
the same affection, and also died after giving birth to an infant
which survived its birth but three days. Later the landlady of
the house died from Small Pox doubtless contracted from the
same source.
That these calamities can be prevented there is no manner of
doubt. I am informed by Mr. Webb, Vaccination Officer, that he
has never found a single re-vaccinated person among those St.
Pancras parishioners who having been attacked by Small Pox
have come under his personal notice, and this experience is in no
way exceptional.
The provisions of the Vaccination Acts have been enforced
during the year, and the accompanying tables, kindly
supplied by the Vaccination Officers, give account of the results
of their operations during the year ending June 30th, 1881,
MEASLES.
In 1884 Measles caused 89 deaths, being 10 less than during
the previous year. The proportion of deaths per 1000 deaths
from "all causes" was 18.5 and 0.36 per 1000 of population.
During the previous ten years this disease caused an annual
average of 20.8 in every 1000 deaths from "all causes."
In London, in 1884, Measles caused 27.5 per 1000 deaths
from "all causes," and 0.59 per 1000 of population, the former
being 9.0 more than the St. Pancras rate.