CORRESPONDENCE.

Waikato Times, Volume II, Issue 88, 21 November 1872, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

To tho Editor of the Waikato Times. S. lß ._The subjects of small-pox and vaccination having created considerable attention for.-some time, any little face or observation connected with those subjects which may have been noticed, should, I think, be made public, and would be full of interest, in order that our knowledge mny be thereby made in time so fully and completely , tliab we may be able to attack that Horrible pest in the most effectual manner, aud if not.tlibrdughly to eradicate and stamp it out, at least to divest it of its terrors. I-i.may utate.ibat I have had some experience m vaccinating in this colony—that at the dep6t<at Ouclmnga in 1864; there were about eight hundred' children, chiefly belonging to the 4th Waikato Eegiment (of which I was surgeon), a, very large proportion of whom I Vaccinated. I have also vaccinated a great many children in this district; and in carrying out the drdor to re-vaccinate the Armed Constabulary .inc.the Waik&to Diitrict recently, I have taken some notee.

2fow it is the opinion,of many that-vaccination very frequently fails- to- fake a second time. Every vaccinator must, I grant, have experienced" some failures when the lymph had been used "indirectly—that is when it has been kept some time", even in tubes ; but when takon direct from the vesicle at the proper" time and-the operation properly performed, unless there- had been some constitutional disorder, I never remember-to have had a failure whether in primary-Or- re-vaccination. A; great. many of the "men had been vaccinated several times, their arms bearing evidence of it—many of them having,'been in the line—-presenting m o> numberof instances numerous.cicatrices fu!lof pits corresponding to the cells in the vesicle, oft Both arras, a proof of its hfeving been effectually done. I'hare had* a few failures • on- account of : the lymph having.;bean kept too long, but Oh reppating the operation with fresh lymph', it has then succeeded. Moreover, it has been asserted by some authors that small- , pox destroys the susceptibility of cow-poi, to which I cannot agree. I extract from my notes briefly, a few cases by way of illustration: — T.O.—Numereue marks 3s large as shfllingSj and presenting the characteristic little, pits on both arms, re'vactfinated, August 16th, 1872, from lymph' preserved in tube received frbin publid■ vaccinator,-. Auckland, quite Buccessfnl every place.. — - - E.S.—Prußsian>. (several times pre-vacmnated, says that m Prussia it is made compnlsary every seven years—both arms oorared with Idrge marks— -re-vaecinated. by me, October 11, 1822, from,lymph taken from' child four days, previously, preserved between glass platee, quite successful; the attendAht inflammation rather severe. T. 0., aged 33 years i marks of vaccination plain on eaeii arm; bad fmaall-pox at the age of 20 years ; marks visible oit' faCp- re-vaccinated, Ao«!ust 21, from lytnph preserved be(Wien gk«e plates; taken from cliild the day previous; vaci iuation -quite. successful,.

W S Btfed 30 years; vaccinated when an infant; onegcod mark risible on loft arm ; had small-pox Lrput remember it lumsell, and parent* told ] inn si^h. v nits'showing on. forehead plainly re-v.ftcon.atod,. Au^bt lymph taken from ciuld. the day premus, pic sorvtd between glass plates ; successful- - i . ]ii,J,l>, a' T tkl aO vears ; vaccinated, twice previously , mtofa-plaiuly visible; bad small-pox when years old; «m recollect it; is n good deal pitted by it on iiiee pre-vaecinated, August 27, 1872 i successfully. _ G. K>, ag&d 23 years*;, had been previously tulch , had small-pox verv badly when lour years old face apu - feet mass of pits,'causing great disfigurement; vaoomaUd successfully by ine, October 11,. 1872 lro.a lymph proser ed botwoen glass plates ; taken from child four days previously , producing well-mavked vesicles ; taking the ordinary courso attended by areola and a considerable amount oi mllammTl probable that climate may have influenced these results: I am. &c., „ .„ „ Jv Caket, L.8.C.P., M.8.0.5. Surgeor A. C. l'orce. Hamilton) November 10, 1872.