View report page

8
one occasion pointed out in my Quarterly Reports, is exceedingly
well performed in this District, and if the proposed alteration is
carried into effect, the consequences to the community may be very
serious.
From the Vaccination Returns which were laid before the
Board of Guardians and by them submitted to the Local Government
Board, it appears that during the year 1879, 2735 births
had been registered in the Union. Of that number 2409 had been
successfully vaccinated; one was unsusceptible of vaccination; 227
died (or 8.3 per cent, of the number born); 22 had been postponed,
and 26 had removed to other Districts, or gone abroad. This Report, so
far as the vigilance of the Vaccination Officer is concerned, in tracing
the children whose births were registered in the District, and inducing
the parents to obtain vaccination for their children, is highly satisfactory,
and reflects great credit upon all those who are intrusted
with the working of the Vaccination Act; for it shows that only 61,
or 2.2 per cent, were lost sight of; and as the authorities of those
Districts where it was ascertained the children had been removed
were apprised, it is probable that some of the children were vaccinated
in their new abodes.
The above Return seems to show that, with care and diligence
on the part of the Vaccination Officer, the provisions of the existing
Act work very satisfactorily, and certainly no fresh regulations are,
in my opinion, required to secure greater efficiency in promoting the
vaccination of nearly all the children born in the District, and consequently
it is better to let well alone, and not try to amend the Act.
It'will be seen on referring to the Table on page 10, which has been
kindly forwarded to me by Mr. Vallance, that, in addition to the
number of children whose births have been registered in this District,
212 unregistered children have been successfully vaccinated.
In order to insure the vaccination of every child of suitable age,
it is necessary that diligent and frequent visitations should be made
to all houses which are let out in tenements, not only when small-pox
prevails but at all other times, to ascertain if any of the children are
unvaccinated, and kindly urge upon the parents the necessity of
taking such children to the Public Vaccinator for vaccination.
I am desirous of calling the attention of all medical practitioners
to the importance of certifying as to deaths from small-pox,
whether or not the deceased child had been vaccinated.