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19
The death rate of your Petitioners' District is an exceptionally
low rate, the same having been for the year ended 31st
December, 1894, 14.0 per 1000, and for the five weeks
ended 30th November, 1895, 10.7 per 1000, as reported
by the Medical Officer of Health of your Petitioners'
District.
That the population of the Parish of Lewisham at the census
taken in 1891 was 72,272, occupying 13,084 houses, and
this number has since considerably increased.
Your Petitioners, as the Sanitary Authority of the District,
are desirous of maintaining the healthy character of their
District, and they believe that the action of the Guardians
in not enforcing the law with regard to vaccination is
dangerous and prejudicial to the public health.
Your Petitioners having therefore duly considered the circumstances
at their last Meeting resolved by 38 votes to
2 as follows:—
That this Board, as the Sanitary Authority of the
District, do call the attention of the Local Government
Board to the action of the Guardians of the Poor of the
Lewisham Union in the matter of the Vaccination Acts.
And your Petitioners do therefore submit the matter for the
consideration of your Honourable Board accordingly, and
do pray that your Honourable Board will take such action
in the matter as to them may appear necessary and
desirable. And your Petitioners will ever pray, &c.
The Common Seal of the Board of Works
for the Lewisham District was hereunto
affixed, by Order, this 3rd day of January,
189G, in the presence of Seal.
. EDW. WRIGHT,
Clerk to the Board.
In consequence the Local Government Board addressed
a letter to the Guardians, forwarding them a copy of the
Memorial, and subsequently wrote to them, stating that—as
regards first proceedings under Section 31 of the Vaccination
Act of 18G7, as well as proceedings under Section 29—
Article 16, of the Board's Order of 31st October, 1874, requires
the Guardians in all cases where the provisions of the