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that there are a few private pumps in the District, a circumstance much to
be regretted; for water drawn from these shallow wells is entirely unfit for
beverage. Some of the cowkeepers have a pump on their premises, the
water from which, if used for the purpose of mixing with the milk, may be
attended with disastrous consequences to the consumers of the milk so
adulterated.
Small Pox.
The deaths from small-pox registered in this District for the Quarter
ending 30th March, 1872, have been 11. This is the same number that
occurred in the previous Quarter. The total deaths from small-pox which
have occurred in this District during the last eighteen months, including
the deaths in the Small-pox Hospitals of those persons who were sent from
this District, have been 28; viz., for the Quarter ending 31st December,
1870, the deaths in the District were 50, and 2 occurred in the hospitals;
for the Quarter ending April, 1871, the deaths were 83, and 12 in the
Hospitals; for the Quarter ending July the deaths were 42, and 24 in the
Hospitals; for the Quarter ending September the deaths were 11, and 11 in
the Hospitals; for the Quarter ending 30th December, 1871, the deaths
were 23, and 12 in the Hospitals ; and for the Quarter ending 30th March
1872, the deaths in the District were 11 and 5 occurred in the Hospitals.
The deaths from small-pox in London during the same six quarters
have been 9307.
The total number of cases which have been attended by the Medical
Officers of the Union during the same period has been 898. For the first
named Quarter they were 245; for the second 352; for the third 174; for
the fourth 41, for the fifth 58, and for the sixth 28.
In 1869 there was only one death from small-pox registered in the
District, while in 1871 there were 150.
Vaccination.
The cases of primary vaccination performed by Mr. Placeman, the
Public Vaccinator, during this Quarter have only been 219, (while the
births registered in the District have been 720); whereas, owing to the
panic caused by the numerous cases of small-pox in this District in
the first Quarter of 1871 there were 871 primary and 1179 secondary
vaccinations performed by him during the six weeks ending 30th March.
Now that the panic is subsiding, the desire of procuring vaccination has
subsided with it; and unless the law relating to compulsory vaccination
be stringently enforced, the number of cases of vaccination will rapidly
decline, and thousands of children will thus be exposed to the fatal
effects of small-pox.
The following return shows the number of successful primary vaccinations
for each quarter during the year 1871, and for the quarter ending 30th
March, 1872: