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whilst the four vaccinated all recovered. "The numbers of
vaccinated attacked from one to ten increase with the age, showing
the necessity of renewal of the operation in imperfectly vaccinated
cases," whereas the numbers of the unvaccinated are tolerably evenly
distributed amongst the ages. Of the 613 "discrete" cases,
more than one third of total cases, not one died; of 430 "coherent"
cases, only four died: the 534 "confluent" cases contributed 137
deaths, a mortality of 25'6 per cent.; of 67 cases of the "petechial"
variety of "malignant" small-pox all but five died; whilst of 46
cases of the "hemorrhagic" variety not one recovered. The 38
admissions of cases not small-pox, were measles (9) chicken-pox
(6), lichen (1), mothers accompanying sick infants (9), and infants
accompanying sick mothers (13). The number and variety of
complications and sequelae were very great, and included affections
of pulmonary system (143), of the mouth, throat and voice (26),
of the eye, &c. (191), of the ear (14), of the skin, &c. (278), of
glandular system (60), of viscera (15), of kidney (3), of heart (9),
of uterus (2), of brain (10), of febrile character (13), and miscellaneous
(45), total 809: a formidable array which may be
commended to the notice of opponents of vaccination.
There was an outbreak of scarlet fever involving 10 female
members of the staff and 3 patients, all of whom were removed
to Stockwell Fever Hospital, and recovered. The origin of the
first cases could not be traced.
During the year 177 patients, "dangerously ill," were visited
by 233 visitors who paid 440 visits: seven visitors were subsequently
admitted, of whom six, presumably, contracted the disease in the
hospital; three of the number died. Since the hospital was first
opened in March 1877, 479 patients dangerously ill have received
1391 visits from 683 visitors, of whom 14 were subsequently
admitted with small-pox, 4 of them to die. Sixty-nine fresh
members of the staff were re-vaccinated before going on duty,
and not a single case of the disease occurred amongst them.
Since the institution of the hospital out of 295, total number of
staff engaged, some 42 had previously had small-pox, and 5 took
small-pox; four of these five had been re-vaccinated: the disease
in all was mild and recovery rapid.
Mr. Sweeting concludes his clear and succinct report by drawing
attention to the necessity of improvement in some constructive