View report page

15
Smallpox and vaccination.
Smallpox caused one death in London in 1889, three in 1890, eight in 1891, 29 in 1892, and
186 in 1893. In 1894 the number of deaths fell to 89.
The death rate from smallpox in London in successive periods has been as follows—
Smallpox death rate Smallpox death rate
Period. per 1,000 living. Period. per 1,000 living.
1851.60 0.28 1891 0.00*
1861-70 0.28 1892 0.01*
1871-80 0.46 1893 0.04*
1881-90 0.14 1894 0.02*
The death rate in each year since 184-0 in relation to the mean of the period 1841-94 is shown
in diagram IV.
During the complete years in which the notification of infectious diseases has been obligatory,
the number of cases of smallpox notified to the medical officers of health in London has been as follows—
Year. Cases notified. Year. Cases notified.
1890 60 1893 2,815
1891 114 1894 1,193
1892 425
It will thus be seen that the number of cases notified in 1894, although less than 50 per cent,
of the number notified in 1893, was yet considerably in excess of the average number of notifications of
the period 1890-4.
Compared with the large towns in England having more than 200,000 inhabitants. London had
in the period 1884-93 a higher death rate from smallpox than any of the towns except Sheffield and AVest
Ham, and in 1894 a higher death rate than Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham, Hull and Salford.

In comparing the death rate from smallpox in London with the death rates in the following
foreign cities it will be seen that in 1894 the London rate was exceeded by the rates of Paris, Brussels,
St. Petersburg and New York, while in 1884-93 it was exceeded by those of Brussels, St. Petersburg,
Vienna and Rome.

* See footnote (†), page 7.
•† Bee footnote (*), page 8.