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composition of the staff of sanitary inspectors. In 1871 their
number was four, in 1888 their number remains the same.
By the employment of men to assist in the work of the Department,
formerly from time to time and at irreguiai intervals,
latterly without interruption, your Medical Officer has endeavoured
to counteract the defects in the constitution of the
Department.
But having regard to the reasons already advanced, and in
order that the health of the parish may be maintained by the
efficient performance of the duties in respect of which the
Sanitary Department is responsible, I venture to ask your
Vestry to take into its consideration the present condition of
the Department, the work it is called upon to perform,
and the means which are at its disposal to conduct that
work in a manner satisfactory to its Officers, your Vestry
and the Parish.
Smallpox and Vaccination.
If any apology be needed for raising a discussion upon the
well-worn subject of vaccination at a time when of all others
it would appear that measures for the prevention or mitigation
of Small Pox are the least in demand, the absence of
panic and the usual disturbances of mind inseparable from a
season of epidemic would be a sufficient excuse. For several
years, in common with other districts of the metropolitan
area, Lambeth has enjoyed a measure of immunity from
Small Pox. Since the last general outbreak the cases reported
have been few in number and separated from one another by
long lapses of time. The history of the disease does not
afford us, however, any reasonable assurance of the indefinite
prolongation of this already unusually prolonged interval.
Indeed, the history of small pox is a history of surprises.
An interval of immunity has always been brought to an