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three died; one of these was unvaccinated, and all had refused
re-vaccination; four members escaped, one who had accepted
re-vaccination and three children who had been vaccinated
within 12 years.
In another house where re-vaccination was refused by all
but two sons, these sons and a vaccinated boy aged 10 were
the only members of a family of eight persons who escaped
infection.
There were only four cases who had been twice vaccinated
before infection, and one who had been thrice vaccinated
The intervals between the last vaccination and the attack of
Small-pox were 24 years, 13 years, 10 years, and six weeks
respectively.
This last case was the sole exception to the rule that vaccination
is a sure protection for seven years. The patient was
a laundry man, 27 years of age, who was said to have been
thrice vaccinated, the last time being seven weeks before
infection. He did not feel at all unwell, but noticing some
spots on his face he called in at a hospital on his rounds, and
the spots were pronounced to be variola. He went to the
West Ham Small-pox Hospital, whence he was discharged in 3
weeks. The facts of successful vaccination and of the actual
occurrence of Small-pox were verified, on enquiry, by the
medical men concerned.
Such cases do very exceptionally occur, as do also second
attacks of Measles and Scarlet Fever within a few years or
even months of the primary attack. Such facts cannot be
explained in the present state of medical knowledge; they
indicate an idiosyncracy similar to that which makes some
persons susceptible to the smallest doses of certain poisons
such as opium and alcohol and makes others proof against
large doses.