18251,243 18512,488 18671,061
18331,14518521,53418681,429
18341,04918581,28918691,474
18381,80518591,47018731,122
18391,93418651,33618744,063
18501,37618661,21718752,019

The death-rate from smallpox, which fell to 212 per million in 1841-50, rose to 862 per million in 1851-60, to 867 per million in 1861-70, and, owing to the epidemic of 1873-74, the worst in Sweden since 1801, the last decade, 1871-80, will exhibit a higher average.

In presence of these statistics, it is fair to repeat the inquiry, “Why was smallpox declining before vaccination was introduced; and why has smallpox revived and increased in ‘the best vaccinated country in Europe’?”

Again, too, I must call attention afresh to the fact of the irrelevant influence of smallpox upon the national mortality. Mr. P. A. Siljeström has published a diagram of the course of mortality in Sweden from 1774 to 1878, with the part smallpox has played in that mortality, from which it is manifest (to all who choose to use their own eyes) that the action of smallpox as a destroyer of life has been wildly exaggerated.[264] Bad years of smallpox are not years of a high death-rate, nor are years with little smallpox years of a low death-rate. When smallpox is prevalent it appears to replace other forms of disease, and when not prevalent, to be replaced by diseases of greater fatality. Wherefore, argues Mr. Siljeström—

Of what use is it to the public that a smaller number of citizens die annually from Smallpox (supposing that this result is brought about by Vaccination), if an equally large number, nevertheless, die from other diseases? We can see no farther advantage in it than there would be in a battle, if none of the men fell before the fire of the artillery, but all the more died from the fire of the line. To the individual it may possibly be more agreeable to die of any other disease than Smallpox, and it ought, therefore, to be allowed to everyone to save himself, through Vaccination, or any other lawful means, from an eventuality which he fears; but this cannot possibly, in itself, be regarded as the business of the State.

Sweden is a large country, and its diseases must be subject to many local variations; but Stockholm, representing a compact population, exhibits much the same phenomena. In some years of last century the city was severely afflicted with smallpox, as the deaths in these years show—

1778639 1784411 1795447
178371417874141800703

These years were the worst; there were variations such as these—

178014 178520 179713
178212179322179812