Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-01-11

general, aled In tkis olRoe On the eth
inst: Il am a The optsion that Il
the state board Of heeltk, has pro-
mulgatcd . rule, requiring children
to Be properly vaoci6ated before At
tending school. It 10 the duty Of
school officers to assist in enforcing
such rule. and such school officers
are not kable for damages for sus-
pending children who refuse to SUBJ
init to vaccination" Very truly
yours,
J. w. Scorr, n. D.. Secretary.
Assuming the power Of the state
board Of health to make this order,
and your duty to enforce it, I beg to
make few suggestions rs to how
you should proceed:
Easseoe TIE Law.
1. At . regular or special meet
ing of your board an order should be
adopted providing that after GER
tain date no pupil shall be admitted
to your school, without first present
ing . proper certificate Of successful
vaccination from some legally quail
fed physician. A reasonable time
to comply with the order should be
given. deem this very important,
Is an insufficient period would OK
cludc pupils without any fault Of
theirs, and tend to break up the
school. After vaccination, from
eight to ten days must elapse before
. physician can determine the kind
Of certificate to give in any case,
hence. ! suggest that at least 80 days
be given to comply with your order.
2. A copy Of your order should
be given TO your teacher with in
structions to clearly explain its terms
to the pupils.
5. During the enforcement Of this
order in 1882, it was quite common
for physician to appear 1t a school
house, and vaccinate all the children
in attendance. I do not endorse this
practice. 1t may he convenient for
the physician, but to perform this
operation upon young children. cs-
pecially those Of . nervous temper
ment, in public, away from their
homes, without the encouragement,
assurance and sympathy of the pa
rent is cruel. 1t is true that the real
physical pain Of the operation is
slight, but the terror and mental suf-
fering which some children undergo
is not slight, and is inexcusable be-
cause it is unnecessary.
4. The physical condition of some
children may be such that it would
he uuwise to vaccinate them at the
present time. Such children should
be exempted from the operation of
this order when the incxpediency OF
present vaccination is attested by a
physicians certificate.
S. / enclose herewith n blank
form for report of enrolment and
vaccination of the children Of your
district. After the certificates are
all filed, this report should be made
BY either the teacher Or the clerk OF
your board and sent to the secretary
Of the state board of health. l also
enclose blank certificates, which
should be handed to your ply sicians.
II more are needed they can be Sc.
cured from this Office.
6. 1t is very necessary that rec.
ord of the vaccination of pupils should
he kept in each district, and enclose
two blank forms for this purpose
The teacher should record the certifi'
Gates rs they are presented. and fin
ally file copy of the same with the
clerk of the district school board,
who should preserve the record a,
evidence of the vaccination Of the
children enumerated therein. The
certificates are the property of tn,
children, and after being properl,
recorded, should he returned t.
them. Some will need the certiii
Gates to gain admission to othel
schools.
Z. Inasmuch rs manv school
close in March. this order should b.
executed without any unnccessar,
delay.
In executing this order of the STATE
board of health, you are performin;
an executOry duty imposed upon yO'
by the laws of the state. As al
agent of the state you should exc
cute it firmly, fairly and impartial
~. AS an agent OI your school Uis
trict you should see that the inter
csts Of the school suffer rs little a
possible, and thus harmonizing an,
advancing the interests of both. yo'
will do your whole duty. In conclu
sion let me suggest that this order q
tho state board of health could b
regularly and uniformly enforce
with much less interference with til
. work Of your schools. This period
and Wholesale enforcement of the III
der in the presence Of danger. Away
provokes heated discussion whic
inhames the minds Of the people
. and develops opposition which n
acts unfavOrably upon the schools
II the order were regularly enforce
: there would be but few cases eac
| year in each school, and these woul
!. be vaccinated without exciting til
= least comment. Or causing the Leaf
interference with school work. II
| general vaccine DrOtectiOn Of IL