THE VALUE OF RE-VACCINATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3249, 5 July 1872, Page 3

THE VALUE OF RE-VACCINATION.

(Pall Mall QtizrUp, April 27.)

In a letter read at a meeting of tho ! Board of Guardians at tho North Dublin Union last week, Dr A. Speedy cited a ! number of facts which establish in a very striking manner the value of re-vaccina-i tion as a preventive of small-pox. " I have re-vaccinated," said Dr Speedy, "1400 persona during the past eight months, a very large proportion of whom had good marks of primary vaccination, yet in those individuals excellent vesicles were formed. Among tho above no cases of small-pox have occurred." After some further remarks, the doctor goes on to state:—"ln an hospital where there is a class of sixtyfive pupils attending, all except five were re-vaccinated, and these five contracted small-pox ; all the others escaped. In Cork street Hospital there have been five hundred cases of small-pox. One of the physicians informs me that, on careful examination, he found that not one of these persons had been re-vaccinated. In the Hardwicke Hospital there have been 000 cases of small-pox, and I find that in this institution there were a few cases of small-pox occurring in those who have been re-vaccinated. Although re-vacci-nation in these cases did not actually prevent the persons being attacked with small-pox, yet it had the effect of modifying the disease, and these particular cases were of a very mild character." Dr Speedy concludes his communication by saying :— "There are always a large number of the military stationed in the Royal barracks, which ia in my district. There have been only four or five deaths from small-pox among them, and any cases are generally very mild. Your are doubtless aware that all recruits are re-vaccinated, and this, I contend, is the reason they escaped so well."