London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Hackney 1881

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hackney]

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Cases of Small Pox at Different Ages in Hackney.

vaccinated cases.Totalsunvaccinated cases.Totals
Ages0151015253545015101525
andand abovee
151015253545abovee15101525
Totals5641171723642079551107540393320235160
Percentages0.56.010.916.033.919.28.84.710025.024.420.612.514.43.1100
cases6.549.4
Population12.911.110.020.415.811.518.310012.911.110.020.445.6100

In connection with vaccination I would mention that in July
last I inspected the arms of 197 children under 12 years, attending
one of the schools in the District, when I found 29 to have bad
marks, and 7 not any. All these latter were admittedly un.
vaccinated, so that 36, or nearly 20 per cent., were more or less
unprotected against an attack of small pox. I took the names
and addresses of all the unprotected children and forwarded the
list to the Secretary, who induced the parents, including those
of the unvaccinated children, to have them vaccinated. I have
applied more than once to the School Board Authorities to
allow me to examine the children attending their Schools, but
have been refused. It must not be supposed that all this bad
vaccination or neglect of vaccination, can fairly be thrown on
Hackney, as there has been a very large amount of immigration
into this District, and to my knowledge very many of the poor
children brought into this District are either unvaccinated, or
badly vaccinated. I would also mention as evidence of this
statement, that the families in which the largest number of cases
of small pox occurred, were those of immigrants.
During the year I gave a good deal of attention to the smells
from the Hackney Wick sewer, and visited all the premises, and
several more than once, on which manufacturing processes were
carried on, and by a careful examination of the refuse of their
operations, satisfied myself that the smell was not in any way