English vaccination and small pox statistics : with special reference to the report of the Royal Commission, and to recent small pox epidemics / by Noel A. Humphreys.
- Humphreys, Noel A.
- Date:
- [1897]
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: English vaccination and small pox statistics : with special reference to the report of the Royal Commission, and to recent small pox epidemics / by Noel A. Humphreys. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![« Humphreys 13 un vaccinated cases were of this severe type. It is needless to refer to these figures in greater detail. The following table gives a summary of these statistics for the epidemics in Sheffield, Dewsbury, Leicester, and Warrington :— Table XI.— The Incidence of Mild and Severe Cases of Small Pox on Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Persons attacked during Five recent Small Pox Epidemics. [“Fir.al Report,” pp. 69 and 70.] London Sheffield Dewsbury Leicester Warrington Local Epidemics. Mild. Severe. { { { { { vaccinated. unvaccinated vaccinated. unvaccinated vaccinated .... unvaccinated vaccinated .... unvuccinated vaccinated. unvaccinated 89 0 35-2 82-8 18-5 82-0 23'1 81-4 27-2 78-2 29-4 I 10 64'8 iyi 81 5 i8’o 76-9 i8‘6 72-8 218 7o-6 It should be noted that tbe classification of the London cases differed somewhat from that adopted in the other towns, but the figures show very similar results. The main feature of the table is the practical agreement between the returns from the several towns. Thus the proportion of mild cases among vacci¬ nated persons only ranged from 78-2 in Warrington to 89-0 in London; while among the unvaccinated the range was from 18 5 per cent, in Sheffield to 29^4 in Warrington and sc *2 in London. It appears therefore that as regards the attack rate, the type of disease, and the fatality of small pox, the vaccinated enjoy marked advantages when compared with the unvaccinated. The Commissioners ask, “what is to be said when it is found that “ apart from the fatality of the disease, its type in the two classes (vaccinated and unvaccinated] also differs, and perhaps even “ more widely than its fatality does, and that the milder type “ distinguishes the same class which exhibits the smaller fatality r ” This cannot be mere chance coincidence, especially as the phenomenon is uniform in the case of epidemics in five different towns. The facts afford, it is admitted by the Commissioners, strong corroboration that the classification was on the whole accurately made, and that the cause of the different manner in which small pox behaved to the two classes was vaccination. There was no material difference between the two classes except that one contained, with some possible exceptions, only unvacci¬ nated persons, while the other consisted, certainly for the most part, of vaccinated persons. Quality of Vaccination Tested by the Number and Nature of Maries. This branch of the subject was fully investigated by the Commissioners. All the small pox hospital authorities from Marson to the present time, appear to have been convinced that Table XII.—Proportional Mortality of Cases of Small Pox treated in the Highgate Small Pox Hospital, under the observation of Mr. Marson, in 1836-51 and 1852-67, among Patients bearing one or more Vaccination Marks. [“Final Report,” p. 76.] Cases of Small Pox classified according lo the Vaccination Marks borne by each Patient respectively. Percentage of Deaths in each Class respectively. 1836-51. 1852-67. 1. 2. Stated to have been vaccinated, but having no cicatrix.... Having one vaccine cicatrix . 21 7 7-6 4 3 1-8 07 39*4 T 2 *Q 3. ,, two ,, cicatrices. 4. „ three ,, ,, . 7 7 5. ,, four or more vaccine cicatrices. 3 0 0 9 Un vaccinated. 35-5 34’9 the protective influence of vaccination bears a constant relation to the number and quality of the vaccination marks. Much evidence in support of this assertion, based upon recent experience, from which the following table is selected, was given before the Commission, and after a detailed analysis of this evidence 3LE XIII.—Deaths from Small Pox in the Fulham Hospital of Persons under and over 10 Years of Age, with the Proportional Case Mortality among Patients with One or More Vaccination Marks. [“ Final Report,” p. 75.] One Mark. Two Marks. Three Marks. Four and over Four Marks. Cases. Deaths. Death- rate. Cases. Deaths. Death- rale. Cases. Deaths. Dentil- rate. Cases. Deaths. Death rate* -10. 21 1 4-76 29 1 3‘45 37 _____ 53 rer 10 j vears of > 381 41 to'68 509 46 9'°4 459 37 8'o6 396 19 4’8o age.J all ages.... 405 42 i°'37 538 47 8‘73 496 37 7'45 449 19 4': j](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b3055696x_0026.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
