Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-12-10
STATE no mn OF ar4Lrs.
The Proceedings of cts SenIi-An-
nunI Session Yesterday Week.


The semi-annual session of the Stat
Board OF Health was held in the Hote
Richardson, ut Dover, yesterday week
There were present DR.. l.. p. Bush o
this city, DIR. G. g. Chamberlain U
Mddletown. DIR. A. Whiteley of Frederick
DR.. ID. l.. Mustard OF Lewes and DIR. i
L. Fowlerof Laurel. Dr. Bush presided
4 Minutes Of the last meeting were reat
and approved.
The committee on printing approved
the following bills and dreoommended tha
they be paid by the State treasurer
Hubert koop, $4l.25; James q Webb
Printing and Stationery Company, $3.50
E. B. Frazer, $13.2S.
The expenses of the members of the
board, amounting to $22.17 and incurred
by attending the meeting, were allowed.
DIR. Bush read the following paper on
"Vaccination in Schools" which is to be
presented TO the county and the State
teachers institutes:
TO The President of ue Convention OF
Teachers of Public Sclools-The State
Board Of Health OF Delaware respectfully
asks the consideration of the convention to
the following statement:
On March 2lst, 1883, the Legislature of
Delaware passed the following act:
An act TO provide for the vaccination in
the public schools, and for other purposes
Section THE trustees of commissioners
Of school districts and boards of education
are required, within one mouth after the
passage Of this act, to. oblige all children
applying for admission to free schools and
all children who have previously been ad-
mitted to the said Schools TO be vaecinAted
unless already protected from smallpox by
vaccination or by an attack OF smallpox.
Sec. 2-The said commissioners or boards
OF education shall have u copy of the fore
going section posted at the door Of every
school house for two weeks before it shall
be- carried into effect; such notice shall
state how such free vaccination shall be
prucur, Il under the provisions of this act.
Sec. Spersons affected with diphtheria,
measles, scarlet fever or smallpox shall be
'xclude,l from the schools until permission
Of the proper school officers for such per-
sons 10 return is granted; and intercourse
between pupils of the schools and the
family or house, where there is any case Of
one OF these contagious diseases, must be
forbidden until the official permission is
given TO attend the school.
Sec. 4-Every person who is unable to
pay for vaccination, or every child whose
parents or guardians are unable to pay for
the same, not residing In the City Of Will
mington, may be vaceinated by any physi-
clan or physicians who may be designated
for the purpose by the trustee of the poor
for each hundred; and for each person or
child so vaccinated, such physician or
physicians shall be paid by the trustees of
the poor for the county the sum of fifty
cents. Every such physician shall give
certificate Of vaccination to the child 80
applying.
PASSED. at Dover, March 21st, 1888.
Copies of this have been sent to the
school commissioners of the several coun-
ties of the State, but the board regrets to
say that in but few instances, as far as the
knowledge of the board extends, has the
law been complied with.
That it is q wholesome law, violating
no constitutional right, but providing for
the health and life of the citizens OF the
State, the board presumes will not be
denied. 1t had its origin in this purpose
exclusively, having been originated by
this board, in obedience to duty imposed
upon it by the law instituting the board.
The board is not aware that any objec-
tions have been made to the law, and has
hence concluded that so far as it has not
been complied with, it is due to simple
neglect. The school commissioners have
been urged to the performance of their
duty in this respect. 1t would seem that
the responsibility which attaches TO this
law is not appreciated by those to whom
il is addressed.
The disease against which this law is
intended to guard the people is among the
most loathsome and fatal of all the mala-
dies which afflict the human family, and
at the same time it is that which may be
prevented with a certainty which pertains
to no other.
An excellent paper on this subject was
prepared several years ago by DR.. Kane
of Wilmington, printed by the Legisla-
ture and spread as widely as possible.
No more pertinent illustration of the
consequences of neglect of vaccination
need be required than that which has just
occurred in the neighboring province of
Canada. The disease has been prevailing
there for eight months and in that time
from 10000 to $4,000 of the in
habitants have been stricken with
the disense, and of that number
1876 have died in and around
Montreal. Such condition of things as
has existed there can only be equaled by
the horrors so recently produced by the
cholera in southern Europe. The human
mind cannot imagine, much less properly
describe the appalling scenes of suffering
and death which have just been enacted
on our own borders, and all this is the
result of the ignorance and prejudice of
the people against one of the most simple
and benefcent measures which has ever
been vouchsafed by divine providence to
the human races.
In addition to the mortality the direct
expense to the city of Montreal has been
$S4, $50, besides q large amount by
private contributions in money and other
wise, and far greater loss than either in
the damage to the business of the city.
The board trusts that this appeal to the
proper authorities, through this conven-
ton, will not pass unheeded. The law
has been uniformly observed in the pub
lie schools of Wilmington and the people
have assented to its wisdom and benefi-
cence.
Secretary Frazer was directed to pre-
sent the paper to the Teachers Institute
and to give it to the newspapers for pub
lication.
The secretary was also empowered to
visit the various State institutions and re-
quested to report their condition to the
State Legislature at its next session.
DIR. Mustard was requested to prepare
an amendment to the laws of the local
boards of health, fixing q penalty for dis
obedience of the orders of the commits
sioners of the local health boards.
DR.. Bush WAS asked to prepare paper
on 1.-THE Resuscitation of the drowned"
and present it at the next meeting of the
board.
Letters from various physicians, show
ing favorable condition of health in the
three counties, were read and Secretary
Frazer was instructed to have extracts
from them published in the boards
biennial report.
Secretary Frazer was allowed 800,
salary for six months. .....