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IS
Annual Report of tha Vtdiral OJftur of Health—1*76—7.
flight of lodger*, with the need of produc ing a rl<-»n bill of health b«for« the rorma can
lilt
Shortly after presenting you with my laat Annunl Report, 1 received that of tha Comfit*
of Management of tho Metropolitan Fever and >mall 1'ox Hospitals at Homer ton.
n the work carried on from their establishment to the 31at December, 1876. The object
ha Legislature in building those Hospitals, wan to provide means whereby tho scparaof
pauj>ers suffering with contagious diiordeni, from the healthy portion of tha
.inanity might be efTec-tod ; and which haa been duly appreciated by them.
Grave eomplainta are made in the Report upon the inefficient manner in which vacciion
had been performed. Out of 1000 caaea only 49 had been vaccinated in the way in
cli tho National Vaccine Board fifty years ago declared to be the best. Hems ia diaed
the error made so much of by the op|*onents of vaccination, that more vaccinated
«ons than unvarcinated have been attacked with small-pox. Death from small-pox
•re vaccination haa boon duly performed is of the rarest occurrence. Out of 1,194 case*
ited in the Hospitala, no such death happened. Unvaccinated persons died at the rate
;7 per cent. No cases of small-pox were seen after revaccination. From the 15th Febry,
to tho 15th June, 1871, there wero admitted 1,191 cases; and from the experience
.toctive power of vaccination and revaccination was afforded them."
No freedom from epidemics of small pox cau be expocted so long as children are
wed to encspe vaccination, for such become on abiding source for tho perpetuation
spread of the disease. The utmost watchfuluets, energy ami stringency should ho
rcised in carrying out vaccination. No fire can exist where there ia no combustiblo
fttar.
What says Stamlkv, the African traveller, about vaccination : one who has felt it* need I
experienced its benefit. Evidence of far higher value than that of those who in every
•ect lack knowledge, and who most probably never saw a case of small-pox in the whole
rse of their lives. Writing from Ujiji, in August he says, that he must hurry away, a*
'•* are sad, very aad, in that place, owing to an epidomic of small-pox, which was dering
the population at the rate of from 40 to 75 persons daily. It is a small pox of the
«t fatal kind. It ran like wild fire through the houses of Ujiji, Arab as well as native.
• rendition of his people was really deplorable; his numbers thinned, and fear prevailed
osintr hi* favourito and faithful attendants. The succea* of tho Expedition wa* imtiled
; and the only thing he aaserta which 14 saved it from total wreck wa* vaccination."