This forms a part of the eleventh Report of the Poor Law Commissioners. ----- [Sidenote: Provision for fever cases.] Many of the unions had taken steps under the _15th and 16th sections_ of the late Amendment Act, for providing for the relief of persons suffering from fever or other contagious complaints, either by building fever wards distinct from the workhouses, or hiring premises for the purpose, or by arranging for the reception of such cases into fever hospitals; and the result had in several instances been highly beneficial. “In Galway for example, during a severe epidemic, the guardians erected a temporary hospital near the workhouse, and received into it during a period of about six months 1,096 cases, of which 995 were discharged cured.” [Sidenote: Vaccination.] A statement is given in the Appendix to the Report, showing the progress made in bringing the Vaccination Act into operation in Ireland. By this statement it appears that, although not duly carried out in several of the unions, the measure had obtained a wide and beneficial operation, and was in course of gradual extension. The amount expended for vaccination in all the unions during the previous year, exceeded 4,000_l._, the rate of payment being 1_s._ on each case successfully vaccinated for the first two hundred cases, and 6_d._ on each successful case afterwards. This is one of the charges for which the poor-rate is made liable, although not strictly appertaining to the relief of the poor; but it is no doubt calculated to prevent a far greater charge, by protecting the people against the smallpox, a fearful scourge which generally leaves disablement and destitution in its train. [Sidenote: Cost of relief, and numbers relieved.] In the 106 workhouses which had been opened prior to 1844, the number of inmates on the 1st of January 1845 was 37,701, and the expenditure on relief amounted to 251,467_l._[122] In the 7 workhouses declared in course of that year, the number of inmates on January 1st 1845 was 1,474, and the expenditure 18,063_l._, making the total number of persons relieved on that day in 113 workhouses amount to 39,175, and the expenditure on relief during the year to 269,530_l._ The average weekly cost of the inmates of the workhouses was 1_s._ 5½_d._ per head for maintenance, and 2½_d._ for clothing, making together 1_s._ 8_d._ per head. The cost had at the outset been estimated at 1_s._ 6_d._ per head.[123] Rates were made in 126 of the unions, in all in fact excepting four[124] situate in the extreme west; but in 8 of the unions in which rates had been made, the workhouses were still not in operation. The commissioners trusted however, that they would “be enabled to report next year that the whole of the 130 workhouses in Ireland were open for the reception and relief of the destitute poor, in accordance with the intention of the legislature, and the provisions of the Irish Poor Relief Act.” ----- [122]