Compulsory Vaccination and the Death-rate from Smallpox.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 180, 30 July 1913, Page 8

Compulsory Vaccination and the Death-rate from Smallpox.

In an article in the "New National Encyclopaedia" it is stated that during the pandemic cf smallpox which raged through Europe from IS7O to 1873, an excellent opportunity was afforded for a test of the utility cf vaccination. The Teater part of the Germany army had been vaccinated in childhood, and all upon entering service in the Kranco-Prussian war In the Frenth army regular vaccination had not been practised, and re-vaccination was neglected. The German army lost 450 men by smallpox, and the French army lost 23,400 men. In Berlin, there died of variola from 261 to 407 persons annually between the years 1758 and 1809. After this date, when vaccination became compulsory, there died of this same disease from 2 to 40 persons annually between 1810 and 1869. Neglect of Te-vaccination, the importance of which waa not then realised, raised the mortality from variola, in Berlin during 1870 to 1874 to a yearly average of 180.