View report page

7
Happened to a woman. two of whose children had been removed for
discrete small.pox. and who had escaped the protection of re.
vaccination. She was sent to hospital two or three days after her
confinement. and I vaccinated the infant when it was five days
old at the request of its mother. The baby escaped. Over and over
again have I seen instances proving the remarkable power of
vaccination and re.vaccination as a modifier and as a prophylactic
in small.pox. where the only element present in the case of those
escaping the disease which was not present in the case of those
who contracted it. was that of vaccination.
I fear the long sessions which have been taken up by the
exhaustive inquiries of the members of the Royal Commission on
Vaccination. have caused in many places great laxity on the part
of Boards of Guardians in carrying out the Vaccination Laws. I
hope for the sake of the Country at large that their Report will not
be much longer delayed. When it appears I am persuaded it
will prove to be of national importance. So far as the White.
chapel Union is concerned. the statistics which I append as usual.
show that Mr. Sherman has been most active during the year.
I am of opinion that increased facility should be offered to
those who prefer to have calf.lymph used. As Public Vaccinator.
I support this opinion by using lymph from the calf where so
desired. I frequently revert to calf.lymph to renew my stock. as
it enables me more readily to trace my cases in the event of
necessity.
A great increase has to be recorded in the number of
cases of Scarlet Fever. and Diphtheria. which have been notified
during the year. Table 0* contains a complete list of the principal
zymotic diseases which were reported. From this table. and from
the Table of deaths. I glean the fact. that although Scarlet Fever
and Diphtheria were epidemic. so as to cause much anxiety and inconvenience
to Sanitary Authorities. and also to the Managers of
the Metropolitan Asylums' Board. yet the type of these diseases
was mild in comparison with preceding years.
In 1891. 32.4 per cent. of the cases of Diphtheria which had been
notified. died.
In 1892. 23.5 „
In 1891. 7.8 per cent. of the cases of Scarlet Fever ..
In 1892. 5.8
* Pages 34 and 35.