View report page

21
From this it appears that scarcely more than 6 children out of 10
were fully protected against Small-Pox, although 2 more out of every
10 had been vaccinated sufficiently to leave imperfect scars. 2 out of
every 10 were exposed to the full risk of contagion, and the uncontrolled
malignity of the disease. The result of this inspection was further put
to the test of vaccinating those children who appeared to need protection,
so as to embrace all the conditions of a complete medical observation.
95 children were vaccinated. The result was that no less than 49 or
more than half took the vaccine disease fully ; 33 in a modified degree ;
whilst 8 only shewed no effect.
This double examination by inspection and vaccination speaks in
unmistakeable language ; the result far exceeded anything I was prepared
to expect. The general result of investigation by inspection alone made
by Medical Officers of Health in Schools in other parts of the Metropolis
is to shew that 10 per cent. of the children are not vaccinated. Tested
by vaccination, we find that 30 per cent. are unprotected.
The conclusions indicated by this experiment are of the highest
practical importance. It follows that the measures contemplated for
increasing the efficiency of the Compulsory Vaccination Act, and the
orders of the Privy Council for ensuring special instruction in vaccination
are inadequate to meet the emergency.
The following are among the many difficulties to be encountered.
1—.There can be no doubt that in many cases the protective power of
the vaccine disease wears out with time and requires to be renewed.
2.—It also happens that parents neglect to afford the Vaccinator
an opportunity of verifying by inspection at the proper date after the
operation, its success. They rest in the perfect assurance that their
children are safe because their arms have been punctured, whilst in its
essential conditions the operation may have failed. Thus in the School
inspections now referred to, children actually brought to me certificates
of successful vaccination from an institution in Finsbury, who nevertheless
showed none of the characteristic signs. There were others in the same
case whose friends assured me they had been vaccinated. In this
manner a large indefinite number of persons are yearly added to the
unprotected class.