Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-02-07

ne Gid OF Or. Smith, anu entertaining the ideas
which he did OF the benefits he had rendered
to his country, Mr. +. said, he believed such
am Investigation would be beneficial TO Dr.
Smith. 1t WAS as likely, he suggested, that the
small poX had been Introduced into NJ Car
DINA by some North Carotiniar, as by any mis-
take OF the Vaccine Agent The latter had
no motive To destroy his own occupation, but
every possible inducement to conduct the
Agency with integrity, care and skill. HI.
had at first thought tbest that the resolution
should lie on the table "a few days, until the
subject which was now undergoing discus
sion and consideration was more attentivey
examined but OH the whole, as the question
had been moved, he would make no objection
TO IFS immediate adoption.
Mr.. BATEMAN said that he had strong doubts
of the propriety of making an investigation of
the subject here at this time, thinking than
the house was not in possession of suiIici-
cnt Information to justify it in proceeding to
act upon it. If the resolution was to pass, he
proposed to amend the resolution by adding
thereto the following:
Aud whether there is any reasonable doubt
of the efficacy of vaccination for the proven
ton Of the Small Pox.''
MIR. LowNDEs said he hoped the resolution
would not be extended as far as was proposed
However intelligent this house might be, il
could hardly he supposed to he accurately
versed i'll medical science. He should think,
he said, that no committee of this house could
he competent, or property constituted, for the
proposed investigation. Such IA committee
might be fnued in this house. But, he apprc-
hcnded, that five physicians, being members Of
this house, could hardly he as well qualified
as so many physicians who were not also in
vested with political characters. II appeared
to him, that this house had sufficient business,
nj - N tt....N oh.
ton, without being employed in inquiries of
this nature.
Mr.. FLOYD was unwilling to impose such "A
duty Oh the committee as the latter amend
ment contemplated. 1t was impossible To
subject the disease to any law of ours--nor
would the people he bound to respect any o.
pinion or decision that we might express tIpon
the subject.
Mr.. BATEMAN said he had thought the
propasedinquiry would necessarily involve the
question of the efficacy of vaccination, espcci-.
ally rs the gentleman had expressed no dis
poson Ia inculpac Dr. Smith. But, as there
appeared To be "A diversity of opinion on that
point, To save difficulty he withdrew his prnpo-
'siion.
Mr.. SERGEANT said that some gentlemen
appeared TO regard this resolution az hayinga
direct bearing DIR. Smith, which others
denied. However that might be, the reso,u-
ton appeared To- Mr.. 5. To be calculated TO
produce belief. out OF doors, that an impress
sion prevails In this house that vaccination is
not c!iicacious as preventive of smallpox,
and that an impression of that sort has gwen
rise to IN inquiry into the propricty OF re-
praling this law. lie therefore thought it
ought not now to pass 1t SO happened, he
SAID, that there has been prevailing in Europe
IA disease of an unusual Kind, which has at
tractcd the attention Of the physicians every
where, and which had had tendency tu
bring doubts on the efficacy of vaccination
generally. The disease had not spared those.
who h"d been vaccinated, or those who had
itccn iuocua"d. But, where il had touched
those who had rot been vaccinated or nocu-
Lated II had been highly malignant disease,
but where it had affected those previously
vaccinacd, il had been of mder type. To
prevent any erroneous impression from being
drawn from the terms of this resolution, Mr. 6.
proposed 10 amend il so as to direct an inqui-
ry whether arg modification was necessary to
the act referred To in the resolve.
Mr. BURTON consented Ia this modifca-
ton.
Mr.. KENT said, he knew not how the law
establishing Il vaccine agency could be modifi-
ed. 1t gave no other powers al present to the
agent than the privilege Of iranking his letters.
He synpathized with the suffering people of
.Npiiit Onlbiiid tS SInCtTtlS as tile honorable
mover Of the resolution, but regretted exceed
inTIy the course The house was about to pur-
sue on this occasion. as it was calculated not
only unnecessarily to shake th4ir confidence
IN vaccine lncchlatlon as n preventive against
the smallpox, but that of the whole country
lie believed but one opinion prevailed among
dlslntercsted and intelligent persons rs to the
efficacy of vaccine incubation against the
smallpox, notwithstanding the appearance Of
new disease both here and IN Europe. The
vaccine disease was certainly preferable TO the
ln"culaicd smallpox in ITS mlldcst and most
successful form. He was Informed that am
investigation nf the opinions OF those who
entertained doubts respecting the efficacy az
tlie VACCINE disease, as well as the unfortunate
occurrence in North Carolina, was now max
nS by the medical gentlemen in Baltimore (;
and he had no doubt, if the house would con.
sent TO lay the resolution on the table for a
few days that their report would be received,
and would prove much more satisfactory than
a1y report Tin could emannte from COM
niittee Of this house. Iic therefore moved TO
lay the resolution on the table.
The question being taken ON this motion, tho
resolution was ordered to lie on the tale ac-
cordingly.
Mr.. CockE laid on The table the following
resolution
Resoiced That The President of the United
States be requested to cause tn be communi-
Gated to this House the amount of public mo-
ncy paid the Attorney General over and above
his salary fixed by law, since the 1st Of Janua--
ry, 1917 specifying the time when paid, for
what particular services, and the amount in
each ease, and by what authority such pay
ments have been made.
On motion Of Mr. CAMBGEBsNe, it was
ResolDed, That the Committee Of Ways and
Mnnns hn inst r1frlnd tn inntiirn into thn cx-