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Another most important preventive measure to which I would refer is
re-vaccination, and the early vaccination of children. In the notices
which have been printed by your authority, I have pointed out the necessity
for re-vaccination of every person in the house being above 7 years
of age, when a case of this disease occurs. I would also now dwell upon
the advisability of every person being re-vaccinated who is above 7 years
of age, and has not proper marks upon his or her arm. The indications by
which we recognize protective marks I have pointed out in the hand-bills, and
it is most important that we should satisfy ourselves on the point, for a person
may think himself safe against the disease, when the previous vaccination
had ceased to exert any beneficial influence. It must also be remembered
that vaccination can, under no circumstances, be relied on as a certain
protection against small-pox, any more than an attack of small-pox itself.
But it is certain, from the statistics of the Small-pox Hospital, that the
fatality of small-pox is far greater in those who have not been vaccinated,
or in whom the vaccination has not left proper marks; and that those who
have only one mark die more frequently than those who have two, and those
who have two more often pro rata than those who have three marks.
The nuisances abated by Mr. Valentine during the quarter have been
as follows :—
Privies emptied, filled up, and drained into the Sewer 135
Privies and Cesspools emptied 33
Stable, Pig, and Cow-dung, and other refuse removed 48
Premises repaired and Lime-whited 18
Gulleys trapped, Roads cleansed, &c. 12
Pigs removed, and Pig-sties repaired and cleansed 35
Choked Drains cleansed 28
Other Nuisances 77
Total 386
The meteorology of the quarter has been most unusual —the mean
temperature having been 63 degrees, or more than 3 degrees in excess of
the mean temperature of the season during the last 88 years. In making
this calculation I have allowed for the difference of elevation of Hackney
and that of the places at which the observations have been made. The
thermometer exceeded a heat of above 90 degrees in the shade on 4 days,
and for 10 successive days and nights the mean temperature of each 24
hours was above 70 degrees, a thing quite unheard of since accurate
records have been kept. The rain-fall amounted to nearly 8 inches, which
is above the average.
I remain, Gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
JOHN W TRIPE.
November, 1859.