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47
to obtain their consent to the examination, were forwarded to the
Hackney Borough Council, and referred to the Public Health Committee
for consideration and report.
The Public Health Committee having ascertained by consultation
with representatives of the Board of Guardians, that the latter did
not intend to take any steps to enquire as to the number of unvaccinated
children in the Borough, resolved to recommend the Council to
use the facilities offered by the London School Board, to ascertain the
amount and character of the vaccination amongst the children in
their schools in the Borough; and accordingly reported in the terms
of the above resolution to the Council.
My first intention was to obtain if possible the assistance of the
Public Vaccinators in the examination of the children : hut as I
became aware of a strong feeling on the part of a certain portion of
the Guardians against the public Vaccinators assisting in this work,
and as it would take them from the more important work of vaccination
and re-vaccination, I resolved to obtain outside medical help;
and accordingly without any difficulty, obtained the services of three
Medical Practitioners for this purpose.
The following Table (I.) shews the number of children on the rolls
of the different Board Schools in the Hackney Borough, together
with the number of refusals to the examination, and the percentage
of refusals to scholars on the roll.
It will be seen that the average number of refusals for the 26
schools was 48 per cent., individual schools varying from 30 per cent.
to 71 per cent. The causes of this variation are no doubt various,
but one or two circumstances stand out prominently as contributing
to increase the number of refusals. Looking at the following table it
will be seen that the Schools with the largest number of refusals are
situated in Hackney Wick and Homerton, localities occupied by
classes whose actions are largely prompted by impulse and sentiment;
but it is evident, that even in these localities some special agency