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The following pertinent observations on the subject, extracted
from the Annual Summary of the Registrar-General's Weekly
Returns for 1881, will be read with interest:—
"In 885 of the 2,371 fatal cases of Small Pox, no reliable statement was
made as to previous vaccination or non-vaccination. Of the remaining
1486 only 524, or 35 3 per cent., were certified to have been unvaccinated.
The age-distribution differred very remarkably among the vaccinated and
among the unvaccinated, as is seen in the following table, which gives
the distribution in each group per 1,000 deaths.
Age Distribution of Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Fatal Cases of
Small-pox.
All Ages. 0.- 1.- 5.- 20.- 40.- 60.-
Vaccinated 1,000 25 27 223 551 153 21
Unvaccinated 1,000 138 244 360 206 48 4
"Of the deaths among the unvaccinated, speaking roughly, three quarters
occurred before the age of 20, while of the deaths among the vaccinated,
three quarters occurred after the age of 20. Thus, taking the age of 20
as the dividing point, the figures were almost exactly inverted in the two
classes. The explanation is obvious. The vaccinated are protected in
youth, and especially in childhood, but at later stages become more
assailable, owing to the gradual weakening of their protection and its
non-renewal by re-vaccination. The unvaccinated, on the other hand,
are least protected in infancy and childhood, for at the later periods
of life an increasing proportion of them has become protected by attacks
of small-pox."
Animal Vaccination—Calf Lymph.—A common objection to
"arm to arm" vaccination is based on the fact that the lymph is
passed through the human system, and therefore, it is said, may
transmit disease; the dangers attending the use of humanised
lymph, however, are so trifling as to be practically inappreciable.
Nevertheless, and as it is desirable to remove, as far as possible,
every obstacle to vaccination, it is satisfactory to know that the
Local Government Board have made arrangements to give people
the option of having their children vaccinated with calf-lymph at the
public vaccination stations. The Government moreover will supply
medical practitioners with "stock" lymph to enable them to start
a series of vaccinations, leaving them to keep up their supplies,
if they can, afterwards. The use of animal lymph is common on
the Continent, and the system has been carried to great perfection
at Brussels under the direction of M. Warlomont, who sends
supplies of lymph to this country regularly, and whose tubes and