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of the deaths from small-pox in London during the past thirteen
weeks, it appears that out of a total of 352 deaths registered from
this disease, 92 are certified as "vaccinated," 135 as " unvaccinated,"
and to the remaining 125, no statement is appended. A scrutiny of
the first-mentioned class indicates that 1 death occurred under one
year old ; 4 between the ages of one and five ; 12 between the ages
of five and twenty; 56 between the ages of twenty and forty; 14
between the ages of forty and sixty ; and 5 between the ages of sixty
and eighty. It is clear, therefore, that the protection afforded by
vaccination should be renewed, and I am of opinion that this renewed
protection should be afforded at an earlier age than 12. As I think
that no pains should be spared to convince the honest opponents to
vaccination of the risk they run by avoiding the protection it offers.
I append the Registrar-General's list of deaths amongst the unvaccinated
for the same time:—under one year old, 27 ; between the
ages of one and five, 39 ; between the ages of five and twenty, 37 ;
and so on. How grievous that so terrible a punishment as the
sacrifice of so many lives is necessary to teach so simple a lesson.
During the past two weeks the Public Vaccinator has re-vaccinated
478 persons, and I have not yet heard of one who regretted having
submitted to this trifling operation. I rejoice to state that there are
signs that the epidemic is now subsiding. The Whitechapel District
has contributed during the quarter to the Metropolitan Asylums
Board Institutions 77 cases, but of this number 12 were non-residents
sent from the London Hospital. In addition to the above, 5 cases,
which were not removed, have come under our notice. During the
past three weeks, there have been under treatment in the various
hospitals, an average of 1367 cases; thus, by comparison, the District
health, as well as the District mortality from this disease is very
favourable.
Scarlet Fever—22 cases of this disease have been reported
during the quarter ; all, with the exception of an infant, were removed
to the Homerton Fever Hospital.
Cholera. It is now an established fact that this disease, which
has proved so fatal at Toulon and Marseilles, is Asiatic cholera. Our
present knowledge of this terrible disease is sufficient to indicate what
must be done in order to keep the enemy out, or to destroy it should it
gain admission. Cholera poison to spread must fall upon prepared
soil; and that soil, so necessary to its vitality, is produced and