122 



Mr. Gwyther on the 



that the change of incidence is normal, and in this note it 

 is intended to collect some evidence on that point, leaving 

 the medical question for competent authorities. 



In the first place I am going to compart the death rates 

 of vaccinated and unvaccinated up to the age of 20, which 

 I think we may take as beyond the extreme limit of pro- 

 tection by infantile vaccination. I am aware that such 

 statistics are to some extent untrustworthy, but I am not 

 going to make my argument depend on the actual numbers 

 so much as on the general character of the series which the 

 numbers show. In the Report of the Medical Officer of the 

 Local Government Board for 1886, there are tables showing 

 the deaths from small-pox in London during the years 

 1884 and 1885, of inhabitants born in London. Since 1872 

 the proportion of the inhabitants of London not finally 

 accounted for in the vaccination returns has varied from 57 

 per cent to 9'3, and it appears that we shall not be far wrong 

 in assuming that i in 12 in London escaped vaccination. 



Deaths fro/n S /nail- Pox of Metropolitan Inhabitants horn in the district. 

 VACCINATED. 



UNVACCINATED. 



Looking at the progression of these numbers of the 

 unvaccinated, one is distinctly reminded of the course of 



