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almost exclusively the patients of the unqualified man, being
unable to realize the distinction; and action is rendered the more
necessary by the fact that children—infants of tender age—are
most commonly the victims of the practice. Thus, of the 33
cases of uncertified deaths referred to, 25 were children, of whom
18 were less than one year old. The causes of death returned included
such diseases as typhus fever, scarlet fever, measles, diarrhoea,
inflammation of the lungs and of the brain, and scrofulous
maladies.
METEOROLOGY.
The mean temperature of the air at Greenwich during the registration
year was 49°.4 F., the average of 35 years being 49°.3.
The averages of the four quarters were 410.6, 53°.5, 60°.6, and
41.8. The hottest week was that which ended on the 11th of
July, mean temperature 66°.8; and the coldest week was that
ended on the 2nd of January, 1875, mean temperature 28.8.
The highest reading of the thermometer was on the 9th of July,
92°.0, and the lowest on the first day of the current year 18°.2.
The dryness of the atmosphere (i.e., the difference between the
dew point temperature and air temperature) was 5.6 (average
in 30 years 5.5.) The rainfall was 24.1 inches.
VACCINATION.
I am indebted to Mr. Shattock, the energetic Vaccination
Officer, for the interesting particulars contained in Table IX,
(Appendix), on the important subject of Vaccination. From it
we learn that during the year 4,357 births were returned to him
by the sub-district registrars, and that the successful vaccinations
numbered 3,588. Twenty-three infants were certified
as insusceptible of successful vaccination; in 74 cases the postponement
of vaccination was sanctioned by medical certificate on
account of the state of health, &c.; 27 children were removed to
other districts, the vaccination officer of each district being duly
apprized of such removal; 9 cases were still under proceedings (at
the date of the report), by summons or otherwise; while 464
children died unvaccinated. The cases unaccounted for—either
through the removal of the children to places unknown, or which
cannot be reached, and cases not having been found—amounted
in all to only 172, or a fraction below 4 per cent. of the total
births—a result that must be considered very satisfactory, highly
creditable to the vaccination officer, and, I would add, to the
Board of Guardians; while I can hardly believe it has been surpassed
in any other district of the Metropolis
The Guardians have lately (August, 1875) prosecuted successfully
a non-qualified practitioner for signing Vaccination Certificates.
A penalty of Ten pounds was inflicted; the offence with
which the defendant was charged being that of " falsely pretend
ing to be registered " under the Medical Act, none but registered
practitioners being qualified to sign Vaccination Certificates.