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of its being communicated, and in such a case medical advice is
probably not sought for until several members of the family are
found falling in succession. This is one of the strongest arguments
possible in the legislating for a system of registration of
disease, for making it compulsory on the part of the householder
or head of a family to give notico of the existenco of any infectious
disease.
Another fruitful source of the spread of Small Pox, &c., is
where two or more families reside in one house. Where it
happens in one family, it is frequently kept secret from tho
other, the chief cause of the suppression of the information being
the dreaded loss of business or occupation. And here I would
remark, that during the recent epidemic, I have witnessed some
painful cases of families becoming impoverished by loss of trade
or occupation; but in every case this result would have been
averted if the aid of this department had been called in at tho
onset of the disease.
The observance of tho foregoing facts has led me to consider
what would constitute the most practicable and most efficient
system of compulsory re-vaccination.
As to a system compelling every one to be re-vaccinated at
different ages, I can conceive many objections; but instead of
so general an application, I would suggest that it be made compulsory
throughout any family or families residing in a house
in which a case of Small Pox has occurred, and that any medical
man, whether an appointed Public Vaccinator or not, should
be paid by the State for performing the operation. One of the
greatest objections to the present regime is that Public Vaccinators
only are paid for vaccinating, the result of which is to
create an antagonism between him and the private practitioner.
A further hindrance to successful vaccination is, that Public
Vaccinators are not encouraged by additional payment to vaccinate
persons at their homes.
THE WATER SUPPLY.
Of the waters supplied from the Thames, that delivered by