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the machinery of "our compulsory" vaccination calls for explanation,
and throws some light on the causation of the present fatal epidemic.
I believe that many children escape vaccination through their parents
purposely neglecting to register their births. One medical man in this
neighbourhood has informed me that a patient of his, a rabid antivaccinator,
used formerly to avoid the operation of the law by frequently
changing his residence, but that he now found it much less trouble to
simply "omit" the registration. I had some correspondence with the
Registrar-General upon this subject. The information upon which my
letter was founded was furnished by our late Vaccination Officer, Mr.
"Winter. As I have no right of access to the books, I have no means
of verifying the statements, which I therefore give just as they were
handed to me:—
1.—C. F. S., aged eleven months, died from Small Pox, at 51, New York street; never
vaccinated ; had not been registered, though born in the same room in which it died.
2.—H., two-and-a-half years old, died 8th of October, at 31, New York street.
3.—A sister of the above died a few weeks subsequently ; neither child registered or
vaccinated, though born in the same house.
4.—Child admitted into Hospital from Turville buildings; born somewhere in the
parish; registered as from a house in Virginia row; could not be found by Vaccination
Officer at address given.
5. 6, and 7.—Several cases from Waterlow buildings. Though born in the same
dwellings as when taken from to Hospital, could not be found by Vaccination Officer, as
wrong numbers had been given to the Registrar.
8 and 9.—Two cases in Tapp street. The Officer stated that the parents had been
moving about to avoid vaccination.
The particulars of the non-registered cases were placed before the
Registrar-General, and the following answer was received:—
General Register Office,
Somerset House, London, W.C.,
5th November, 1880.
Sir,—With further reference to your letter of the 27th ultimo, I am directed by the
Registrar-General to inform you that he learns from the Registrar of the Church SubDistrict,
Bethnal Green, that as regards the three deaths from Small Pox, which took place
at 31, New York street, two of the children (Horton) were of an age beyond that within
which the parents could be required to have the births registered, and the birth of the
other child (Cox) had been duly registered. The other cases which occurred in this SubDistrict
were either similar to the first-mentioned, or the parents have since the deaths
removed from the District, and the Registrar has consequently been unable to ascertain
whether the births occurred in his Sub-District, or elsewhere.
The Registrar-General has instructed the Registrars of the several Sub-Districts of
Bethnal Green, in future, to give him early intimation of the neglect of parents to give
information respecting births.
I am, Sir, your obedient Servant,
G. P. BATE, Esq., M.D., WILLIAM CLODE, Secretary.
Medical Officer of Health,
The Vestry Hall, Church Row, Bethnal Green, E.