The New York herald., 1879-03-28
VACCINATING THE TRAMPS.

THE vAaABoND GENTRY SUBMIT TO THE OPERA
TIoN WITH PHu.osoPHIC RESIGNATION.
About this of the year the vaccinatng corps
of the Health Department sally out of evening
and visit the various police station houses Of the
city to vaccnate the casual odeers that may be found
on the premises. As rule these dodgers tramps
of the rakish kind and it is the opinion of the
authorities of the Health Department that they carry
about with them the fruitful seeds Of smallpox. 1t
is thought wise provision to submit them to the
application of vaccine and render them harmless for
contagion in their travels and contact with people in
and outside the city. Ten doctors, or, as they are
called assistant sanitary inspectors started out last
evening about eight O'Clock to vaccinate the dodgers
in some of the principal downtown stations-tho
Oal Eldrdge Mercer. Mulberry street and other pre-.
cincts In some precincts they admit no dodgers
till after six o'clock in others till alter eight,
sand then they keep on admitting them till one
o'clock IN tho morning. . Inc doctor on len &entering d
officer is detailed to bring up each lodgcr to undergo
vaccination. He comes as q rule very quietly and
submits the process. which is very brief and sim
ple without murmuring. At the Mercer street sta
ton last evening there were some sixty trainps
("the gentry of this country, by jimmy, as the
gcant remarked present whom the assistant sanitary
Whats your manner" asked the officer to the first
man no met in the tramps parior:
Luke Mulcahy,' was the answer. "Well. como,
Luke. said the officer. in an fhand, pleasant way,
''come mp to tie doctor aud get yourself amputated
for the smallpox. You look as II you were running
all over with it,"
Luke. with gentle shove. was fastened on his
the doctor. and, having bared his arm with
visible trembling of the muscles. vaccnated and
on his way back in the brief space of two min
utes. The officer again invaded the su,nptuous quar-
ters of the tramps sung to the 20
hand. whats your name !"
mike Collins" was the reply.
"well. Nike" continued the officer, "hurry up and
get the pzen taken out o ye."
''You name the whiskey?' responded Mike.
eyes, the whskey," returned the officer, "an' all
the other fgarcs.
'.well." said Mike "I don't il do if he don't
cut the head of me- and Mike duly operated
and sent back rejoicing.
''Come up here, Mrs. simmons" cried the officer,
addressing himself to very seedy looking woman:
up here the doctor till he how ye are.
81 don't want to see him. replied Mrs. simmons.
'But you may have the smallpox" retorted the
officer.
''Divil a hair care" answered the bold female
tramp: "itswell to have anything these hard times
''Well, you may stay where you are. said the oih-
land when you get the smallpox you may think
different
And thus it went on through the evening in the
several downtown stations. occasional protest
against being vaccinated being made. but rule the
tramps realized that vaccination had something
good IN IL and gave them longer lease OF life ia
their predatory raid industrial people. The
male tramps were amcnablc enough to the doctors,
but the female ones were tough lot TO manage.
About three hundred tramps were vaccinased last