The New York herald., 1878-03-31
vAccINATIoN IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

TO the EDITOR OF THE HERALD -
Circulars have been issued uy the Board OF Educa-
ton and distributed In the pubic schools, calling the
attention OF parents to bylaw passed by that Board
requiring them have their children vaccinated or
be expelled IRON the schools. Has The "Board OF
Educationn any auth hority right to ADOPT such a
coercive measureY Vaccination has never been
made compulsory by an act oil the Legislature.
IL Is slated IN those circulars ''that the Board
oil Health uses only pure bovine vaccine virus.
supposns that this siatemeut is correc, wherein is
the antdo.eY Accordin- 10 the writings oi Jenner,
the originator OF vaccination, wnich Il now termed
'Uowpux," originated wtu horse that mad disease
called grease. or re iess ana the virus discnargei
thererom was accidentally tranierreu 10 The udar Of
a COW IL s tas grease virus" wDch JeGner
claimed was projection agaiusl smallpox, ana OF
which ne says.-"No matter how carefully ana skill
IulIy The Vaccination may ue performed IL leave
scroiuious aevuons U.nnd, aud also II immediately
enuangcrs tue lie OF Tie person vaccinsteu." !"
Ih1s IA terrible adm ,ssiva. Nevertheless there are
u lurge number oi medical men who advocate prac-
lice when con us an nuay 10 pre ma ure
grave. Tue medical statistics OF the United Statos
provo that much larger number die from the
elects OF vaccination than IRON smallpox; but Quack
cry not dead ye aud IN order 10 XIII u the medi
cal pro ession" must comnit suicide. But this state
ment relative ~ the "oovine virus' Is not correct,
for the year 1871 the Board OF Health" only
unnamed virus, supplied by dspensaces ana col
eced from dispensary patients, winch virus was pro
Society" 40 be pregnant with disease and ttb." I"
But the "Heaith Department." At The present tme
obtains their virus from Jersey, wnere every thing
pure comes from-"pure bovine vaccine virus."
'pure wh:skey," Jersey ligntuing." Noiiher 'pure
bovine vaccine vrus' nor The orignal morse grease,
cowyox VACCINE virusn nor .'numanized vaccine
virus,' nor any otner virus Will protect against
smallpox.
desire to particularly call the attention OF the
Board vi Education To tne following iacts:-ln the
month OF Juiy, 1884, an agent, then IN The employ
msnI OF the Board OF Health OF TINS city, called
a. tne house IN winch and my family resde, and
III the absence OF myself and my VIE anu against
The protests OF my eldest daughter iorcoy
Ey cDiid. la about tour weeks aiterward she was
attacked with scroiua OF the most virulent type
Shs mas been under medical treatment from
that time 10 the present nieIoug injury
has been inflicted ON her, aud her signt
ana hearing nave been very seriously injured
brought au action against the city ana was non
suited on the grounds that the corporation was not
Responsible l nave now sued the ''Healtn Depart.
ment' proper, wuich SUIT. VIII be tried IN Part
| OF the Superior Court, during the April term.
earnestly request all who take in sub
ject oi vital to attend and
attentveiy 10 me medical testimony winch Will be
prouuced, especially that winch VIII DO given by DR..
| Wlnterburn, who attended the chic, ana by
DR.. Kobcrt A. Gunn, who was secretary 10 the
"New York State Eclectic Medical Society" at the
| time wnen this vaccination was performed. q. H.