NOTICES OF BOOKS. xxxvn 



compulsory revaccination at the age of twelve years ; Holland, with 

 compulsory vaccination of children before entering a school, and of 

 Austria, without compulsory vaccination. In the first case, that of 

 Prussia with compulsory vaccination and compulsory revaccination at 

 the age of twelve years, the vertical line representing the number of 

 cases of small-pox is nearly 3J inches long and indicates about ninety 

 cases for the years immediately preceding the passing of the vaccination 

 law, whilst the same line subsequently to the passing of the law in no 

 year projects more than about one-eighth of an inch above the base 

 line. 



In the case of Holland, as might be expected from the absence 

 of compulsory revaccination, things are rather less .satisfactory. Be- 

 fore the passing of the law the vertical line is again about 3^ inches 

 long and represents about ninety cases per 100,000 of the inhabitants, 

 whilst after the law was passed for several years the line remained very 

 short ; but in 1883 it was rather over | inch and represented about 

 fifteen cases. In Austria, where there is no compulsory vaccination the 

 average yearly deaths from small-pox per 100,000 of the inhabitants in 

 1868-1874 were represented by a line 4! inches long (about 120 cases) 

 and since thac time the line has never been less than ii inches, it has 

 in one year been 3^ inches and in another 3I, representing about 

 eighty-two and ninety-seven cases respectively. 



It is difficult to give by means of mere figures any idea of the 

 effect produced on the mind by a table of this kind which bring forcibly 

 before one the actual facts of the case. The extraordinary diminution 

 in the number of deaths from small-pox in those countries adopting 

 vaccination, contrasted with the continued high mortality in countries 

 where such precautions are neglected, shows very vividly the immense 

 advantages to be obtained from a proper use of the means ready to our 

 hands and no one with an unprejudiced mind who cares to read this 

 chapter can fail to appreciate the value of vaccination as a preventive 

 of small-pox. 



In the second Lecture Dr. Cory gives an account of the histology 

 of the vaccine and small-pox vesicles. The account is illustrated by 

 drawings and photographs, and Dr. Cor)- incidentally shows how 

 different is the structure of the syphilitic Chancre, such demonstration 

 seeming desirable from the fact of the statement having been made 

 that every vaccination vesicle is a lesion of a syphilitic nature. 



The third Lecture is devoted to a consideration of the differences 

 between a primary and a secondary vaccination. By a series of tables 

 and figures Dr. Cory has been able to place the matter in a clear light, 

 and on the interesting subject of how far vaccination can be regarded 

 as of use in cases where patients have already been exposed to infection 

 he shows that vaccination to be of use must be performed at all events 

 within the first four days after such exposure. 



The eruptions that occasionally follow vaccination are treated in 

 Lecture IV., and this important section has been illustrated by means 



