-years, small-pox (13 days). Had marks of vaccination!
At the same Hospital, a bombadier, aged 20 years, small-pox, confluent (20 days). Vaccinated! [Return, week ending Jan. 19th]
Same Hospital. 'On 28th of January, a gunner, Royal Artillery, aged 20 years small-pox (22 days), after vaccination!
Same subdistrict - 'small-pox (21 days) marks of vaccination distinct, phleg mon et abcesses (11 days).
In same Hospital; on 3rd of February, a gunner, Royal Artillery aged 19 yeas, small-pox (1 month) after vaccination, abcesses in the thigh!
In the same, on 28th of January, a driver, Horse Artillery, aged 18 years, 'Variola Confluenta (13 days), marked with cow-pox!' [Week ending Feb 16th 1856]
Petitions
At about the first week in April, petitions against compulsory vaccination were presented to the House of Commons - One from St. Leonards and St. Mary Magdalen signed by 221 persons; and one from Hastings with 324 signatures. Also a separate one from John Gibbs, Esq., of Maze-hill cottage.
Just before Whitsuntide a petition against the Compulsory Vaccination Bill, from Dr. Hale, of St. Leonards was presented by Dr. Mitchell, making the seventh petition from these towns, with 1043 signatures.
In the month of June, two more petitions against the Compulsory Vaccination Act were presented to Parliament by Dr. Mitchell - one from St. Leonards, with 34 signatures, and the other from Hastings, with 61 signatures, making with those previously sent, 1,138 signatures.
A Cure For Smallpox
From the 18th Report of the Select Committee of the Commons on Public Petitions. -For inquiry as to inventions, 6,716 Thomas Rose, of West street, Dorking. The petitioner states that in 1826, he discovered cream of tartar to be a specific for the fever of small-pox, and has since found the remedial action of the same to be assisted by rhubarb. He has tested his system, unprofessionally, and without fee, in upwards of 3,000 cases, and proved its efficacy in every stage of that disease, only one person of all those cases - a child, suffering from whooping cough - having fallen a victim. He considers that the publication of such a remedy would prove to be a general blessing and prays the House to adopt measures for testing the same, and aso that his petition be printed with the votes.
I was well acquainted with Mr. Rose as a visitor at Pelham Crescent, Hastings, and both before and after that period received testimonies of his philanthropic attentions to small-pox sufferers and with invariable success.
The petitions, as here stated, show that the people of both towns were by no means apathetic in the threatened deprivation of liberty in the matter of Vaccination, and to one like myself, who has not an atom of faith in it is pleasant to know that there still living (in 1899) Mr. Womersley, Mr. Ransom, and some others of the 1856 opponents of compulsory personal infliction. A would-be defendant-
