CHAP. xvm. VACCINATION A DELUSION. 273 



The dotted line shows the percentage of total vaccina- 

 tions to births. 



The first thing to be noted is the remarkable simul- 

 taneous rise of all four death-rates to a maximum in 

 1868-72, at the same time that the vaccination rate 

 attained its maximum. The decline in the death-rates 

 from 1852 to 1860 was due to sanitary improvements 

 which had then commenced; but the rigid enforcement 

 of vaccination checked the decline owing to its produc- 

 ing a great increase of mortality in children, an increase 

 which ceased as soon as vaccination diminished. This 

 clearly shows that the deaths which have only recently 

 been acknowledged as due to vaccination, directly or 

 indirectly, are really so numerous as largely to affect the 

 total death-rate; but they were formerly wholly con- 

 cealed, and are still partially concealed, by being regis- 

 tered under such headings as erysipelas, syphilis, 

 diarrhoea, bronchitis, convulsions, or other proximate 

 cause of death. 1 



Here, then, we have indications of a very terrible fact, 

 the deaths, by various painful and often lingering dis- 

 eases, of thousands of children as the result of that use- 

 less and dangerous operation termed vaccination. It is 

 difficult to explain the coincidences exhibited by this 



1 Mr. Biggs gave his evidence in 1891, and was obliged to rely on 

 an estimate of the increased population since 1881. This was after- 

 ward found to be too high; the Commissioners urged that this would 

 cause the decreased mortality during the decade to be greater than it 

 really was. This is true; but the possible amount of the error is 

 shown in the present diagram by the added death rates for 1893-96, 

 which are calculated from the last census populations. Thus, the 

 only change produced in diagram IX. would be, that the decline 

 from 1878-82 to 1893-96 would be a little more regular than is shown, 

 while its general teaching would remain absolutely unaffected. 



