CHAP. XTIII. VACCINATION A DELUSION. 285 



infection. As to the first objection, even if revaccina- 

 tion were not absolutely universal in the Navy prior to 

 1873, it was certainly very largely practised, and should 

 have produced a great difference when compared with 

 Ireland. And the second objection is simply childish. 

 For what are vaccination and revaccination for, except 

 to protect from infection? And under exposure to the 

 most intense infection they have been officially declared 

 " not appreciably to suffer "! 



But let us make one more comparison comprising the 

 period since the great epidemic of 1871-72, during 

 which the Navy as well as the Army are admitted to 

 have been completely revaccinated, both English and 

 foreign. We will compare this (supposed) completely 

 protected force with Leicester, an English manufactur- 

 ing town of nearly the same population, by no means 

 especially healthy, and which has so neglected vaccina- 

 tion that it may now claim to be the least vaccinated 

 town in the kingdom. The average annual small-pox 

 death-rate of this town for the twenty-two years 1873- 

 94 inclusive is 13 per million (see 4th Report, p. 

 440) ; but in order to compare with our Army and Navy 

 we must add one-ninth for the mortality at ages 15-45 

 as compared with total mortality, according to the table 

 at p. 155 of the " Final Report," bringing it to 14.4 per 

 million, when the comparison will stand as follows: 



PER MILLION. 

 Army (1873-94) small-pox death rate, . . . 37 ' 



Navy " " " 36.8 



Leicester " " ages 15-45, . . . . 14.4 



1 The figures for the Army are obtained from the Second Report, 

 p. 278, down to 1888, the remaining six years being obtained from 

 the " Final Report," pp. 86, 87; but this small addition has involved a 



