The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-03-25
Question as to Whether or Not JenHer's
Discovery Had Any Real Virtue Be-
ing Holly Debated in Court.
RAILROAD ONLY ON PAPER
Englishmen Give 100000 for q
Bit of Yankee Experience.
Miners Accept Cut in Parke County
Two Safes Cracked-POstmaster
Arrested-State Politics.
,nec,aI 70 the INDIANAPOLIS Journal

Special TO the Indianapolis Journal.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. March A-In the
Blue anti-vaccination to-day DR.. Cald-
well, of Terre Haute, testified regarding
his experience with smallpox and as to the
dangers OF vaccination. Several witnesses
then testified as to the injury vaccination
had been to them. DR.. Metcalf, of the
State Board OF Health, who had just re-
turned from Indianapolis, was subjected
to a severe cross-examination by attorney
Stimson, the characterization counsel.
which evidently surprised the State Official
for its completeness and scientific probing.
DR.. Metcalf gave a minute description of
the propagation of viris and preparation OF
vaccine points The Observation-Disclosures,
who seeking to prove that the Board
OF Health's order for compulsory vacclna-
ton ought not to stand, had witness
seventy years old, who testified that he
had suffered from the bad effects OF being
vaccinated when he was two years of age.
DR.. Caldwell. a Terre Haute physician,
testified that he knew Of two deaths which
he attributed TO vaccination but he said
he would not treat smallpox patient
unless he himself had been vaccinated.
man named Rhodes testified that he was
Vacclnated in 1881, and that six years after
ward a running sore came on his leg, and
that he has suffered from il ever since.
Mr.; and Mrs: Tusche testified to having
had the smallpox after being successfully
Vaccinated, one thirteen years and the
other twenty years afterward
This trial technically brought by DR.. Blue
against Hattie Beach, school teacher, and
the Board or Trustees, in some respects is
highly important to the general public. 1t
the success or failure of the anti-vaccina-
ton fraternity throughout the entire State.
Besides this Is involved the constitutional
rights OF citizens as well as the authority
OF many Of the important State officials.
1t involves the right of the State or city
boards of health act in emergency
In taking the property of city and con-
demning, without compensation, the right
to restrain a person of his or her personal
liberty without trial when he she is
afflicted with smallpox or other contagious
diseases, or the right TO confne said per
sons SO afflicted in peSthouSe, or quaran-
timing when a contagious disease is prev
alent and the Board of Health deems
and safety of a community 1t further in
wolves the right of the health board or the
police department to abate nuisances when
the health of community is threatened
with contagion. In brief, the bringing of
the suit is positive denial of the author
State. and forbids them to regulate police
powers or TO act when they consider the
public health threatened with an epidemic
The night against vaccination is by no
means a local one. Neither is the expense
order of the Board of Health supposed TO
come from the party in whose name 1t was
society in the State is assessed to bear the
burden OF the trial, which, by agreement,
Is to be test case. Should the plaintiffs
reward and the return from their invest
ment in the damage suits which will fol-
low. The. anti-vaccinators are making a
strong tight and will not quit until the vic
tory is won or the last ray of
hope is gone They They have even
Professor Pickering, an expert, from
Europe to give testimony against the the
pox. The local doctors who favor the ac-
ton of the board jeer the statements Of
Mr.. Pickering from the fact that he is
in freighthouse. They ridicule the idea
of bringing freight clerk from Europe
States Among the remarkable assertions
made by Pickering was that he had known
tient in a close room heated by steam where
the temperature was 800 degrees. When
this statement was made DIR. STAFFORD pro-
posed to the European expert that if he
would take a man afflicted with smallpox
or ever well man. and confine him in
hours and didn't Kill him he would make
him a present OF 81, 600
Besides Pickering, other imported expert
testimony has been introduced by the plain
tiff, among whom are Dr. Clayk OF Indian
apolis. and DIR: Clifford. of Muncie who is
the president OF the Anti-vaccination League
of the State. Drs Clifford and Clark said
they had made the question of vaccination
study for years, and had found that. in
stead of being a preventive vaccination
was a spreader OF smallpox, and had the
practice been abandoned years ago the hui
man family would know OF no smallpox to-
day. They said that besides spreading the
smallpox II was promoter Of fifty-two
other serious blood diseases, among which
could be named consumption. Brights dis
ease, measles and erysipelas DR.. Clifford
made the extraordinary statement that at
least one-third OF the cases OF consumption
were directly traceable to vaccination.
Besides the medical objections offered by
the plaintiff against the order to enforce
vaccination ~ aft 70
show that the order is an infringement on
the constitutional rights of those who are
opposed TO the theory by forcing them to
do that which they are convinced Is injuri-
Gus TO their health and the health of their
children. The main issue OF the trial now is
to decide by the evidence OF medical ex-
perts whether or not vaccination is a pre-
ventive OF the spread of smallpox II IL is
decided in the affirmative, then there is no
longer any question as to the right of the
board OF health to act and enforce the
order when, in their opinion an epidemic
Is threatened. The plaintiffs will complete
their testimony to-day, and then the wit
by City Attorney Foley and Prosecutor
Hamil. The defense. by the evidence of the
best local physicians, will attempt to show
that vaccination is the only preventive of
smallpox, and diSprove the statement that
other diseases can be traced TO vaccination
They will also contend that the defendant
IN excluding Kleo Blue from the school
room, was acting under the orders OF the
is acting on the authority vested in them
by the State board and that the State
board has the constitutional right TO make
and enforce rules TO prevent the spread of
disease, and Tor the protection of human
life. and that To divest the board of the
power TO act in emergency would be TO
Invite disease and endanger the public health
and life.