London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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St Martin-in-the-Fields 1881

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Martin-in-the-Fields]

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22
deaths from those diseases which actually occurred in
the Parish, no cognizance being taken of the cases of
infectious diseases removed to hospitals beyond its
limits.
Smallpox.—One death was caused by 1 his malady
in an infant unvaccinated. It is only fair to the Vaccination
Officer of the district to state this child was not
born in the Parish, therefore he could not be cognizant
of the fact of the child not having been vaccinated.
The Relieving Officer informs me he sent 13 cases of
this complaint to the Smallpox Hospitals during the
year 1881.
The deaths registered in the Metropolis from Smallpox
during the year 1881, were 2,371.
These periodical outbreaks of Smallpox are due to
the neglect of vaccination and re-vaccination : if the
public generally would only take advantage of this great
safe-guard and boon, Smallpox, in my opinion, would in
time be stamped out. Many have a dislike to vaccination
from their fear of introducing disease other than
Cowpox into their systems, but if proper care and
discrimination be exercised bv the medical man, this
accident need not happen.
In the year 1881, I vaccinated about 500 persons of
all ages, and in no single case did I hear of any bad
result; and again not one of that number suffered to
my knowledge from Smallpox. Surely such facts as
these ought to banish all doubt from the minds of
unbelievers as to the value of vaccination.

The following Table gives the number of Deaths

occurring- in each month of the vear :—

Males.Females.Total.
January231841
February161935
March221739
April211132
May251843
June241741
July291544
August231336
September141024
October251338
November361349
December191029
277174451