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27
afforded, but there is no question as to the fact that
successful vaccination protects from Small-pox, just as
one attack of Small-pox protects from subsequent
attacks.
The Medical Officer of Health of Leicester has had the
courage to advocate the abolition of compulsory vaccination
at a large meeting of Medical Officers of Health,
where he met with not a single supporter. He stated,
however, that he frequently almost went on his knees to
implore the inhabitants of Leicester to be vaccinated;
and in order to convince them of the efficacy of this
slight operation, he had had his own recently-vaccinated
children photographed standing by the bed of a patient
ill with Small-pox in the Leicester Small-pox Hospital.
If any one wishes to examine into the result of the experience
of Small-pox and vaccination in this Borough, and the
conclusive evidence which it has afforded of the usefulness
of vaccination, I would refer them to the Special
Report on Small-pox presented to your Council in
1902."
Measles.
32. There were 13 deaths from Measles, giving a rate of O'lO,
compared with 0'18, 0'33, 0'20 and 0'22, in the four preceding
years. This is the lowest rate yet recorded in the Borough. The
rate in London County was 0.36, which is also lower than in any
recent years. Only two Metropolitan Boroughs—Chelsea and
Hampstead—had a lower Measles death rate per 1,000 population ;
and if the rate is reckoned per 1,000 births (which gives more
nearly the population liable to die from Measles) only Chelsea
had a lower rate than Woolwich.
The death rate in the 76 great towns was 0.39.