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Thus, in 1878 there were but 9 cases of small pox in the
whole of the British Navy, numbering about 46,000 men,
and all these cases were mild, none being fatal. The naval
instructions are that all men who have not been re-vaccinated
after entering the service, shall be re-vaccinated as
soon after 18 years of age as possible, notwithstanding that
they may have good marks, or have had small pox. Dr.
Walter Lewis, chief medical officer to the General Post
Office, also states that during the 10 years 1870-79, there was
not a single death from small pox, and only 10 slight cases
amongst an average of 10,504 persons employed; whilst in
the Telegraph Department, 12 cases occurred in the same
period, amongst an average of 1,458 persons. All the Post
Office employees were re-vaccinated on admission, unless
the operation had been performed within 7 years; whilst
the rule was not so strictly observed as regards the Telegraph
staff. During the 18 years 1859-76, the mortality from small
pox amongst the troops stationed at home, was about 1 per
annum amongst each 18,000 soldiers. There is one point
in connection with re-vaccination that is often lost sight of,
viz., that susceptibility to the action of the lymph varies in
the same person at different periods of life, so that nonsuccess
of re-vaccination, say at 20, does not prove that the
operation will not succeed at 30 or 40. This renewed
susceptibility to vaccination, corresponds to the renewed
susceptibility to small pox after an individual has suffered
from an attack of this disease, and probably occurs in about
the same ratio amongst both these classes.
In concluding this part of my subject, I propose submitting
the most important facts as regards the mortality
from small pox, in a tabular form.