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19
The following are the Vaccination Returns for the year 1864.
Births.
Vaccinations
Proportion of
Vaccination
to Births.
Holywell
549
227
.41
St. Leonards
657
385
.60
Hoxton Now Town
1058
336
.32
Hoxtcon Old Town
1027
298
.29
Haggerstone West
982
269
.29
Haggerstone East
805
365
.45
Totals
5078
1880
.35
Two tilings strike the eye in this table: first, the great variation in
the proportion of vaccinations to births in the different districts; and
secondly, the very low proportion borne by the aggregate vaccinations
to the total births. It is, however, impossible to tell how much significance
must be attached to these figures. Only the vaccinations performed
by the Poor-Law Surgeons are registered. We cannot know how many
more vaccinations are performed in private practice; still, there is, no
doubt, every year a residue of unvaccinated children. It is remarkable
that in 1856 the registered vaccinations were in the proportion of 69 per
cent. of the registered births. The fall from this to 35 per cent. is great.
It may be accounted for greatly, I believe, by the fact, that private vaccinations
now bear a larger proportion to public, and that a certain
proportion of private vaccinations were formerly registered.
Considerable fluctuations are also observed in Measles. In the
ten years the deaths from this cause have ranged from 39 to 199. The
highest number was in 1862. Scarlatina has risen from 71 in 1861 to
244 in 1863, and shews a slight decline to 236 in 1864. This disease,
arises I believe, not uncommonly in bad sanitary conditions, but spreads
by infection. The spread by infection it is almost impossible to prevent.
The sanitary officers cannot deal with the clothes and the linen of infected
persons in the manner that is most effectual. There is more hope