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been properly performed, and these were light attacks. Further
conclusive evidence is afforded by the fact that all the Nurses and
Servants of the Hospitals, to the number at one time of upwards
of 300, who are hourly brought into the most intimate contact
with the Disease, who constantly breathe its atmosphere, and than
whom none can be more exposed to its contagion, have, with but
few exceptions, enjoyed complete immunity from its attacks.
These exceptions were cases of Nurses and Servants whose revaccination
in the pressure of the epidemic was overlooked, and
who speedily took the disease, and one case was that of a nurse,
who having had Small Pox previously, was not re-vaccinated,
and took the disease a second time."
The following, which appeared in the" British Medical Journal,''
of September 21st, 1872, gives a further convincing proof of the
efficacy of re-vaccination:
"According to a statement made at the Statistical Congress
held this year in St. Petersburgh, the total number of Deaths
from Small Pox in the German Army during the recent FrancoGerman
War was 263. This small mortality is attributed to the
system of compulsory re-vaccination, which every man who enters
the army must undergo. On the other hand, in the French Army,
where re-vaccination is not compulsory, the number of deaths, as
stated by a French authority was 23,409. This terrible difference
(says the Wiener Mcdizin Wocheuschr) must puzzle the greatest
opponents of Yaccination."
In conclusion, therefore, I would urge upon those authorities
who have the power to enforce the salutary and preventive
measure of vaccination and re-vaccination, to take such steps now
that the Disease has almost ceased to exist among us, as will prevent
its recurrence as an Epidemic. True economy consists in the
prevention more than in the treatment of Disease.