Vaccination
in
Scotland.?-Dr.
Stark,
of the
General
Registry-office
of Scotland, is able to present a good report ? the operation of the Vaccination Act in that country. returns relating to children born in 1868 show the num e whose births were registered in that year, and who survived the age when they could be vaccinated ; and it is stated that o that number, 106,181 in all, no fewer than 96-194 per cent were successfully vaccinated; 0861 percent, had their vaccina tion postponed from bad health or other causes ; 0-484 per co were found unsusceptible of vaccination?viz., 0-261 per ce from constitutional ^ unsusceptibility, 0 007 per cent, from hi1*1 " had sinall-pox, and 0 216 ?
vaccinated.
per cent, from having been previofl 2 461 per ccnt. removed from
Tho remaining
OFFICIAL SELECTION".
July 1, 1870.]
district before vaccination could be enforced, or were otherwise unaccounted for. It is this latter class, 2,600 or 2,700 a year, who are dangerous to the community. Not being protected by
vaccination, they
liable to
are
small-pox
habits of their parents inako them other
class,
since
they
are
;
more
the means of
and the
migratory
dangerous
than any
introducing small-pox
into the various healthy districts which they visit. The mortality from this disease has, however, been reduced to a very small amount in Scotland. In 1864, the first year when the Vaccina-
operation, sinall-pox was epidemic in Scotland, and caused the largo number of 1,741 deaths. Since then the number has become fewer and fewer, falling to 333
tion Act
in
into
came
1865, then
exceeded 100
in 1868 only 25 a year, and it is estimated that in 1869 they cannot have
to 200 and 100 in
deaths occurred
;
over
all
Scotland,
occurred in Greenock, among
tion.
largo proportion having persons unprotected by vaccinaelapsed since the last epidemic a
very
As five years have now in Scotland, and, so far as any certain records never before been absent longer than three years, it has extend, of
small-pox
it is inferred that it is the successful working of the Vaccination Act which has produced this desirable result. Gazette of India of the 18th June, that Government has rescinded the order which restricted Civil Medical Officers on furlough to half their unWe
are
employed
to
glad
pay
see
by
the
only.
Department, 17th June, it is unemployed pay of a Medical Officer, who
In No. 1296 of the Financial now
ruled that the
November, 1864, shall he held to bo the full batta rate laid down in para. 10 of G. G. O.,
entered the servico before the 7th 507 of 20tli The
June, 1864. retrospective effect accorded
is
just
and
liberal,
and
will cause great satisfaction to those Officers at home who have been drawing pay on the rcduced scale. Extractsfrom the Introductory lecture delivered at the commencement of the 20th Session of the Army Medical School, ly
Deputy Longmore, C. B., on the ls? April. Speaking of the change in designation of the junior ranks of the Army Medical Officers, (the proposed abolition of the title of Assistant Surgeon) leads me to allude to the more important change which has recently taken place in the organization of the Army Inspector
General
T.
Medical Department,?the discontinuance of the double classification of its members into Staff and Hegimental, and, instead, the adoption of a system by which the two sets will be blended into one. A recent general order has published the fact, that medical officers
longer form part of regimental establishments. The importance ***** change cannot bo over-rated. It has been foreseen for a long time past, that the duration of the Hegimental Medical system was approaching its termination. This system was almost a necessity when the British Army was scattered by regiments, and by portions of regino
of this
ments, not only over Great Britain, but o\ er all parts of her colonial empire. But since the plan has been to collect troops in camps and garrisons at home, to withdraw regiments and
detachments from outlying
them in defensible combined military trate
dependencies abroad, positions in case
and
places
and to concen-
whence their
of need, could
be exerted in any given direction with most efficiency, no such necessity has been felt. Not only, indeed, has no necessity for the system as regards the medical service been felt, but it has been proved to be,
strength,
under the a
sourcg
of
new
155
circumstances of the troops, even on home service, professional power, of useless multiplication
of waste of
and consequently of fruitless expense. the system has constantly broken down. In the of the Crimean War, while the Medical Officers of
surgical equipment,
In time of
war
early struggles the French Army, by concerted effects directed by central authority, were able to dispose of their wounded with regularity and comparative speed, the disconnected efforts of the Eegimental Officers, ancl
the limited number of the Medical Staff Officers, in the British and difficulties. The Medical Officers of service, led to
great delays regiments were overtasked with the number of wounded under their charge. The Medical Officers with other regiments were without any professional occupation at all, so far as the exigencies of the some
occasion
were
I do not
concerned. *****
merely
look forward to the
change
as
introducing
a more
economical system of medico-military service; as making the administration of the department more easy,; as admitting more capability of improving its position and interests; as affording more
opportunity
for
meeting particular
circumstances which arise from
time to time among its individual members, without prejudice to the interests of others; as removing the differences which have, to a certain extent, existed between the aims of individuals, and which have hitherto prevented Staff and Eegimental Medical Officers uniting in concert to promote the common interests of their whole
appears to me still more important, I look becoming the means of fixing a more thorough feeling of professional character throughout all ranks of Medical Officers; of making the object of each individual to be to acquire distinction in the .scientific and learned corps to which he belongs, and so to lead to a common aim for sustaining the reputation of the whole professional body,?a reputation not merely restricted to the limits of our own departmental inclosure (as it must be admitted
body; but,
what
forward to its
be for the most part at present, when we remember the numbers composing our ranks), but holding a conspicuous place, as it ought to do, in the competition for distinction with which the great body
to
of
our
profession outside
the army is animated.
in
Scotland.?-Dr.
Stark,
of the
General
Registry-office
of Scotland, is able to present a good report ? the operation of the Vaccination Act in that country. returns relating to children born in 1868 show the num e whose births were registered in that year, and who survived the age when they could be vaccinated ; and it is stated that o that number, 106,181 in all, no fewer than 96-194 per cent were successfully vaccinated; 0861 percent, had their vaccina tion postponed from bad health or other causes ; 0-484 per co were found unsusceptible of vaccination?viz., 0-261 per ce from constitutional ^ unsusceptibility, 0 007 per cent, from hi1*1 " had sinall-pox, and 0 216 ?
vaccinated.
per cent, from having been previofl 2 461 per ccnt. removed from
Tho remaining
OFFICIAL SELECTION".
July 1, 1870.]
district before vaccination could be enforced, or were otherwise unaccounted for. It is this latter class, 2,600 or 2,700 a year, who are dangerous to the community. Not being protected by
vaccination, they
liable to
are
small-pox
habits of their parents inako them other
class,
since
they
are
;
more
the means of
and the
migratory
dangerous
than any
introducing small-pox
into the various healthy districts which they visit. The mortality from this disease has, however, been reduced to a very small amount in Scotland. In 1864, the first year when the Vaccina-
operation, sinall-pox was epidemic in Scotland, and caused the largo number of 1,741 deaths. Since then the number has become fewer and fewer, falling to 333
tion Act
in
into
came
1865, then
exceeded 100
in 1868 only 25 a year, and it is estimated that in 1869 they cannot have
to 200 and 100 in
deaths occurred
;
over
all
Scotland,
occurred in Greenock, among
tion.
largo proportion having persons unprotected by vaccinaelapsed since the last epidemic a
very
As five years have now in Scotland, and, so far as any certain records never before been absent longer than three years, it has extend, of
small-pox
it is inferred that it is the successful working of the Vaccination Act which has produced this desirable result. Gazette of India of the 18th June, that Government has rescinded the order which restricted Civil Medical Officers on furlough to half their unWe
are
employed
to
glad
pay
see
by
the
only.
Department, 17th June, it is unemployed pay of a Medical Officer, who
In No. 1296 of the Financial now
ruled that the
November, 1864, shall he held to bo the full batta rate laid down in para. 10 of G. G. O.,
entered the servico before the 7th 507 of 20tli The
June, 1864. retrospective effect accorded
is
just
and
liberal,
and
will cause great satisfaction to those Officers at home who have been drawing pay on the rcduced scale. Extractsfrom the Introductory lecture delivered at the commencement of the 20th Session of the Army Medical School, ly
Deputy Longmore, C. B., on the ls? April. Speaking of the change in designation of the junior ranks of the Army Medical Officers, (the proposed abolition of the title of Assistant Surgeon) leads me to allude to the more important change which has recently taken place in the organization of the Army Inspector
General
T.
Medical Department,?the discontinuance of the double classification of its members into Staff and Hegimental, and, instead, the adoption of a system by which the two sets will be blended into one. A recent general order has published the fact, that medical officers
longer form part of regimental establishments. The importance ***** change cannot bo over-rated. It has been foreseen for a long time past, that the duration of the Hegimental Medical system was approaching its termination. This system was almost a necessity when the British Army was scattered by regiments, and by portions of regino
of this
ments, not only over Great Britain, but o\ er all parts of her colonial empire. But since the plan has been to collect troops in camps and garrisons at home, to withdraw regiments and
detachments from outlying
them in defensible combined military trate
dependencies abroad, positions in case
and
places
and to concen-
whence their
of need, could
be exerted in any given direction with most efficiency, no such necessity has been felt. Not only, indeed, has no necessity for the system as regards the medical service been felt, but it has been proved to be,
strength,
under the a
sourcg
of
new
155
circumstances of the troops, even on home service, professional power, of useless multiplication
of waste of
and consequently of fruitless expense. the system has constantly broken down. In the of the Crimean War, while the Medical Officers of
surgical equipment,
In time of
war
early struggles the French Army, by concerted effects directed by central authority, were able to dispose of their wounded with regularity and comparative speed, the disconnected efforts of the Eegimental Officers, ancl
the limited number of the Medical Staff Officers, in the British and difficulties. The Medical Officers of service, led to
great delays regiments were overtasked with the number of wounded under their charge. The Medical Officers with other regiments were without any professional occupation at all, so far as the exigencies of the some
occasion
were
I do not
concerned. *****
merely
look forward to the
change
as
introducing
a more
economical system of medico-military service; as making the administration of the department more easy,; as admitting more capability of improving its position and interests; as affording more
opportunity
for
meeting particular
circumstances which arise from
time to time among its individual members, without prejudice to the interests of others; as removing the differences which have, to a certain extent, existed between the aims of individuals, and which have hitherto prevented Staff and Eegimental Medical Officers uniting in concert to promote the common interests of their whole
appears to me still more important, I look becoming the means of fixing a more thorough feeling of professional character throughout all ranks of Medical Officers; of making the object of each individual to be to acquire distinction in the .scientific and learned corps to which he belongs, and so to lead to a common aim for sustaining the reputation of the whole professional body,?a reputation not merely restricted to the limits of our own departmental inclosure (as it must be admitted
body; but,
what
forward to its
be for the most part at present, when we remember the numbers composing our ranks), but holding a conspicuous place, as it ought to do, in the competition for distinction with which the great body
to
of
our
profession outside
the army is animated.
