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seeing that the late Medical Officer to the Local Government
Board stated, that he "could not learn of communication of
syphilis in vaccination being actually effected once in a
million of vaccinations." Nevertheless, and it being desirable
to remove every impediment to the full acceptance of
vaccination, it would be satisfactory to know that the
Board had made arrangements for affording to parents
the option of having their children vaccinated with
calf-lymph at the public vaccination stations. This option
has long been given at the stations in Kensington, the
Guardians having made arrangements for a supply of
fresh calf-lymph weekly, on the days appointed for vaccination.
Stations, moreover, public and private, have been established
in London, at which persons can be vaccinated direct
from the calf, and supplies of calf-lymph obtained. Direct
vaccination is highly successful at the Government stations,
an average of 988 vesicles resulting from 1000 insertions of
calf-lymph. "This rate of success,' it has been observed on
the highest authority, "is nowise to be had when the lymph"
(human or animal) "is used in any preserved condition." It
would appear that the Local Government Board have raised
objection to the continuance of the practice of affording people
the option of vaccination with calf-lymph at the public
stations, a practice which originated in Kensington, the cost
for the whole parish-being only about £12 per annum. The
Guardians, however, adhere to their decision to give this
option to all comers.
THE METROPOLITAN ASYLUMS BOARD.
The work of the Asylums Board has of late years assumed
great importance to Sanitary Authorities, by reason of legislation
conferring power on the Managers to fulfil for the entire
Metropolis functions which under the Sanitary Act of 1866
(now incorporated in the Public Health Act of 1891), devolved
upon the forty Vestries and District Boards. The Board are
now the Central Authority for providing hospital accommoda-