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like security, the inestimable boon of Jenner's labors. That the Vaccine
Lymph of several years past has lost, at any rate, some of its protective
power, is most unmistakeably shown by the statistics of the recent
epidemic. It would be wild to attempt to show that Vaccination, even
in its present effects, does not accomplish considerable good; but the
question I have in view is, does it accomplish in 1872 what was predicted
or what we have expected from it 1 A return which I have before me,
shows that out of 13,984,832 Births registered in England and Wales,
in the 20 years—1852 to 1871, inclusive, about 71 per cent, were
returned as successfully, or, what is termed successfully, vaccinated; and
yet Small Pox has killed 7876 persons, of all ages, in London alone,
during 1871.
A further proof of the inefficiency of the present system of
Vaccination, is given by Dr. McCann, the Medical Superintendent of
the Stockwell Small-Pox Hospital. In his first Annual Report, recently
published, he says—" In some of the Cases I have entered in the Tables
as having been Vaccinated, I feel great doubt whether the operation had
been properly performed. Wherever a mark was clearly discernable on
the arm, and was reported by the Patient himself, or his relatives, as
having been the result of Vaccination, I have assumed that such was the
case; but, the mark was often so faint, and possessed of so few or none
of the characteristics which belong to a successful vaccination cicatrix,
that I am inclined to think the operation is very often inadequately
performed, and that a large number of those presented at our Hospitals
'as vaccinated cases' were not protected at all." Again—"I feel convinced
that not more than 20 per cent, of all the cases admitted into the
Hospital, bore cicatrices of Vaccination undoubtedly genuine." Can we
wonder that Small Pox continues 1
The total mortality of the Fulham District in 1871, was 1443, and
of this number, 397 deaths arose in children under 1 year of age, and
306 in persons of 60 years and upwards ; or unitedly, nearly 50 per cent,
of the whole of the deaths.
The number of deaths from Small Pox was 64, from Measles 26,
Scarlet Fever 33, Diptheria 7, Whooping Cough 40, Fever of various
types 35, and Diarrhoea 76. The number of deaths in Public Institutions
was 97, and the number of Inquests 73.
The number of Births registered during the year was 2343.