View report page

5
In my last Quarterly Report I pointed out the necessity of revaccinating
a considerable proportion of the inhabitants of the District, as,
in my opinion, the protective influence of vaccination ceases at a much
earlier period than is generally believed. I pointed out in that Report
the advisability of performing the operation a second time in children
above 7 years of age who had not proper marks on their arms. The steps
which have been taken by the Board of Guardians, at the instance of
Dr. Seaton, the Government Inspector, have been such as to carry out in
the most efficient manner the suggestion I then made. The result of my
inspection of the children in the public schools prove the correctness of my
opinion, as about 30 per cent. were not properly protected. I shall lay
the statistics before you as soon as the lists I furnished to the District
Vaccinators have been returned to me; but in several instances the whole
of those who were re-vaccinated had the cow-pock in its ordinary and
unmodified form.
The meteorology of the quarter ending December 31st, was very unusual,
the temperature having been very largely in excess during the first three
weeks of October, when a very sudden and severe cold set in—the mean temperature
on the 21st and 22nd having been nearly 12 degrees below the
average, on the 23rd 15 degrees, and on the 21 th nearly 16 degrees below the
average. The weather then became a little warmer, especially during the
first nine days of November, after which we had very cold weather to the
23rd day of December. From the 16th to the 19th day of December,
the temperature varied from 15 degrees to 17 degrees below the average.
The range of temperature was extremely large both in October and
December; in October it was above 55 degrees—the lowest having been
25.4° and the highest 80.6°; in December it was 42 degrees—the highest
temperature having been 56° and the lowest 14°. The rain-fall was
considerably above the average, having been more than 8 inches. Very
little ozone was noted.
I remain, Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
JOHN W. TRIPE.
March, 1800.