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16
recent years that there has been any systematic
practice of isolating patients who were suffering from
the disease. At the same time there is little doubt
that the efforts at isolation which have characterized
recent years have had a beneficial effect on the
mortality from smallpox.
As regards the protective influence of vaccination,
it is an admitted fact that it lessens the liability to be
attacked by the disease, and also modifies the
character of the complaint, and renders it less fatal
and of a milder type.
The other means of diminishing smallpox consist
of a complete system of notification of the disease,
followed by an immediate removal of the patient to a
smallpox hospital, together with a careful supervision,
and if possible for about sixteen days, of those who
had been in contact with anyone suffering from the
disease.
My opinion is that any relaxation of the
vaccination laws would have a decided tendency
to the increase of smallpox, and I strongly
advocate the use of calf lymph by Public
Vaccinators and others.
Isolation Hospital.
Referring to the temporary hospital which was
provided in January, with a view of isolating those
cases which could not be treated at home, 112 cases
were admitted during the year (12 adults and 100
children).
It is a subject for regret that your Council have