SMALL-POX EPIDEMIC.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 18 July 1913, Page 4

SMALL-POX EPIDEMIC.

In view of the outbreak of small-pox in Australia, and the mild epidemic that is prevailing in the northern portion of New Zealand, it might be as well to quote an extract from t) report of the Registrar-General of England in 1897, in reference to the epidemic of small-pox at Gloucester. The deaths referred' to small-pox ir the year 1896 were 541 in nunvber, and corresponded to a rate, of 18 per million of the popylation, as compared with rateg of 49, 27, and 7 per million (respectively in the three preceding years. Of the total deaths from small-pox registered in England .and Wales, not fewer than 443 occurred in the registration district of Gloucester, in the course -of the epidemic •which prevailed there. Within the first two quarters in the year 1896 there were registered in the city of Gloucester 716 deaths from all causes, and of these as many as 421 deaths —or 59 per cent. —were ascribed t/ small-pox. During the first half of the year, therefore, tiie mortality of the city was increased on account of small-pox alone by 143 per cent. In England and Wales, out of the 541 persona whose deaths were caused by small-pox during 1896, 45, or 8.3 per cent., were oertified to have been vaccinated, and 118, or 21.8 per cent, to have been xinvaooinated, whilst with respect to the remaining 378, or 69.9 per cent., no sufficient statement as to vaccination appeared l on the certificates. In addition to the deaths definitely referred to smallpox, 151 deaths were attributed to chicken-pox, and 42 to effects of vaccination; so that in the year 1896 the total number of deaths either certainly or possibly caused by measures taken to prevent that disease, was 734, or , 24 per, million of the population. The 42 deaths ascribed to the effects of vaccination include not only the deaths which were directly referred to vaccination, but also those which were in the certificates, or were-found on inquiry to have been caused bv the entrance of any noxiou g material whatever at the site of vaccination.