Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1883-09-06
Wilmington. Thursday, Sept. 6. 1888
The New Vaccination. Law.

Within the next two weeks most Of the
free schools throughout the State will
have been reopened, and It will become
the duty of school commissioners and
boards of education to enfore the new law
for the vaccination of children attending
said schools. The law was passed in
March, and although 1t might have
been acted upon before the closing
Of the schools in June and July
1t WAS not, ss far as We know,
chiefly perhaps for the reason that com
parAtively few persons knew the pro-
visions Of the law. As will be seen from
the sections Of the law quoted elsewhere
the school authorities are directed to
make 1t condition precedent to any
ohild's being admitted to the schools,
that such child shall have been
vaceinated or shall be protected from the
smallpox by the tact Of having already
had the disease. 1t is further provided
that In districts outside of Wilmington
the trustee Of the poor for the hundred
in which such districts are situated shall
authorize any physician to vaccinate
children whose parents are unable
to pay for vaccination, the ply
sioisns so acting to be allowed
by the Trustees OF the Poor the sum Of
fifty cents for each vaccination. To each
child vaocinated the physician performing
the operation shall give certificate OF
vaccination. The law apparently con-
templates the vaccination OF school
children in this city by the city vaccine
pu, Jams.
Tlv'. ioicement Of this Law will de.
pend very largely upon the sntd will,
good sense and cordial COZ, ,rat!ol Of
poor trustees, school commissions ST., II
teachers, and parents. In scc0ds q.
with the law school commissio,,
should have posted at once rpr,
the door Of every school hons Il,
first section of the law. 1t is to b, pr.
sumed that parents 10 whose knowled -
the provisions OF the law come, will hav,
their children vsecinsted before sending
them to school at the opening Of tn,
coming session. Inevitably, however
many children will come to school unvac
cinated, II we may use the term, and thu
simplest course in that case will be fc
teachers to give notice Of the requirement
OF the law and ascertain after reason
able time how many children have faile'
to comply with 1t. Then steps should
taken by the teachers TO secure tn
appointment Of vaccine ply icisps 10
their districts, and perhaps the eaaies
way TO enforce the Law would be- 10 hay
such physicians visit the school
and then and there vaccinata all childre
coming under the requirements of tn
law. Then from time to til. new appl
cants for admission to the oh)Uls shonl
be sent to the designated physicians 70
vaccination.
1t may we'll be questioned whether til
fee of fifty cents is not too small fer Ii
service required, since there are vaccini
tions and vaccinations, this operation
some cases "tsking" promptly and
others refusing to "take" at all, so thi
the vaccine physicians may have to pa
several visits to the schools, and will Il
evitably be the recipients Of irequei
calls from their little patients. Indee
hasty examination OF the law and
the circumstances under which it mu
be enforced, shows that it will be no vel
easy task to carry out its provisions.
There is no room for doubt that u
body properly chargeable with carryiI
out the law in this city ia the Board
Education, but the problem present,
will be more easily solved II tn
body shall seek the advice az
cooperation of the Board OF Heali
The city vaccine physicians q
evidently the proper persons to vac,
nate children whose parents are unat
to pay for the operation, but it will tai
some study on the part Of the authorlti
to decide upon the best mo-
Of enforcing the law. Evident
refusal of teachers to recei
un vaccinated children will occasion SOL
friction until the provisions of the Ii
are fully understood, but the law seel
to imply that such is the duty ofteachsl
AS this law well enforced will in til
secure the important end of general va
cination, there should be hearty cooper
tion for reinforcement between parer
and the authorities.