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38
Small Pox.
You will see by the preceding return how small
has been the number of deaths in your Parish from
Small Pox during the last four years. At the same
time it is only right to state that in a large proportion
of cases where Small Pox occurs, they are at
once removed to the Small Pox Hospital, and
should death occur, it is not registered in your
Parish. Since my last reference to this disease a
new Vaccination Act has been passed. On the 29th
of March, 1866, I called your attention to the deficiencies
of this Act, and a deputation from this
Vestry waited on Mr. Bruce, who introduced the
Bill into Parliament, for the purpose of pointing
out the manifest deficiencies of its requirements for
securing the vaccination of the people. The objections
I urged against this Bill were—
1. That it places all authority in the hands of the
Guardians of the Poor, and ignores altogether
the Vestry with its Medical Officers of Health.
2. The sum offered for paying the operation of
Vaccination is not sufficient to induce intelligent
medical men to undertake the duty,
and is not a sum that could be considered a