58 The Philippine Journal of Science 



source of lymph supply since 1883 has been the Vaccine Depot at 

 Melbourne, Victoria. 



The most serious single epidemic was that that occurred at 

 Sydney from May, 1881, to February, 1882, with a record of 

 154 cases, 40 of which were fatal. The expenses to the state 

 incident to this epidemic were in excess of 400,000 dollars. 

 Thorough compulsory vaccination would have cut it short by sev- 

 eral months, saved lives and suffering, and nine tenths of the 

 expense. 



A most interesting epidemiologic problem is presented, but 

 not solved, in the work. Why, with probably more than half the 

 population of Australia unprotected by vaccination, and a large 

 proportion of the remainder only partially protected by a single 

 vaccination in infancy, have the epidemics of smallpox been so 

 easily controlled. Doctor Cumpston advances the hypothesis 

 that "the controlling factor under Australian conditions has 

 been the absence of sufficient aggregation of population to 

 permit of the spread of the disease so rapidly as to become 

 beyond control." Very good as far as it goes, but not very 

 convincing when applied to populous capitals such as Mel- 

 bourne and Sydney. 



J. D. Long. 



