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much favored in its ravage by the large number of unvaccinated
children found in various parts of the Metropolis.
I may give two istances of what frequently happens,—
A few years since, a labourer came from Somersetshire
to reside in this parish with his relatives, who were living in
Salem Gardens; he became affected with small pox, although
no cases had previously been known in the neighbourhood.
The disease was shortly communicated to members of the
family, and from them it extended to the neighbouring houses;
twelve persons were attacked, six were unprotected cases ;
upon inspection of 30 houses 8 children were found unvaccinated.
Last year I traced four cases of mild small pox
in Francis Street, originating from one imported case, and
afterwards spreading to adjoining premises.
Six inquests were held in 1868 on small pox cases in
the Central District of Middlesex, all were on unvaccinated
persons, and the medical evidence was given to the effect
that these lives would in all probability have been saved if
they had been vaccinated.
Dr. Ballard, in his Sanitary Report of the Parish of
Islington in 1868, gives a highly interesting account of the
protective influence of Vaccination in this parish. It is
peculiarly instructive, and confirmative of the experience of
70 years, showing the vast difference in which small pox
attacks persons at different ages, or whether they have been
badly or well vaccinated. Out of a population of 210,000
people, the ages of 1359 sufferers from small pox have
been recorded. Thirty per cent., or one-third of cases have
been between the ages of 15 and 25. Twenty-one per cent.,
or one-fifth of the attacks, in children under 10 years of age.
Dr. Ballard concludes that not more than 10 per cent, ought
to have suffered under good Vaccination, and he believes the
infantile attacks to have been twice as numerous as they
would have been had Vaccination been properly attended to.
Still, we owe it to the general Vaccination of our population
that the epidemic of 1862-68 was not a far more serious affair
than it actually was.
Since a more vigilant attention has been given to public
Vaccination in this parish, as well as in all parts of the