Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-01-11
MUST COMPLY.
County 9upt. oaaEshall On Vac.
cination Requirements.


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In view Of the neglect exhibited
generally among township school d.
rcctors in enforcing the laws Of the
state Is to vaccination Of school
children. County suPt. of Schools
c. B. Marshall has sent out the fol-
lowing address, which is of general
interest:
Rock ISLAND, H.. Jan. 2, 1884,
To the Directors-Ay Dear Sirs: I
most respectfully call your attention
to . circular enclosed herewith, re.
lating TO an order of the state board
Of health, concerning the vaccination
Of public school children.
This order was adopted by the
state board in 1882. and was effect
ually enforced ut that time through
the cooperation Of the school direc-
tories Of the state. At this time
(lS92) we were threatened with an
epidemic Of smallpox, and the activ-
ity displayed in enforcing preventive
MEASURES in the presence Of immedi-
ate danger. was succeeded by gen.
cral apathy and Indifference when
danger no longer threatened us.
Outside Of the cities of Rock Isl.
and and Moline this order of the
state board has not been enforced in
this county. In the cities men
toned the order has been rigidly and
uniformly enforced, No child has
been permitted to enter the public
schools without first presenting =
certificate Of successful vaccination.
Nearly all the children now in the
public schools Of this county have
entered since the general enforce
ment Of this order In 1889. OF these,
= few have been vaccinatcd, but a
very large proportion Of them have
no vaccine projection.
1t is neither the province. nor
within the power Of the county SUI
perintepdent to discuss either the
medical or legal questions involved
few objections commonly urged to n
compliance with the same have been
discussed by Dr. J. w. Scott. sccrc-
tary Of the state board, as follows:
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,, Dec. IL, 1885
To County Superintendents Of
Schools-Sincc the sending out from
this Office Of the circular letters call
ing attention to and urging compli-
ancc with the rule Of the board con-
corning the vaccination of school
children, a large number Of commu-
nications have been received from
officers. directors and patrons of the
schools urging as objections to the
enforcement of the order:
/. That many are opposed to vac
cinatiOn.
9. That some are unable to bear
the expense.
5. That the winter season is un-
favorable.
4. That school officers by cxclud-
ing from school those pupils who
have not been acciuated, would be-
come liable for damages.
, Replying ~ these objections in the
order named:
OAjeclIoos Set Aside.
1. The time for discussing the
necessity. efficacy and practical
harmlessucss of vaccination, and the
right Of the state to enforce it is past.
These arc established and admitted
facts, and properly constituted health
thorities-natiOnal, state and local
recognize and act upon them ~
such, and it 10 not competent fol-
school directors, whose duty is sim
ply to enforce laws. to postpone Or
annul them by vote or otherwise, OF
to determine whether un emergency
exists demanding their enforcement.
In support Of the above, the follow
ing report Of committee made tO
the Belgian Academy Of Medicine. i,
submitted: without vaccination
hvgienic measures and methods
whether public or private. are power
lcss in preserving mankind from
smail-IOx. Vaccination il always ~
inoifensivc operation when practices
with proper care on healthy subjects
II is highly desirable in the INTEREST,"
Of the health and lives III the people
that vaccination be made cOmpul
sorry"
In Germany. where vaccination i
compulsory, Of 2.4S5, 1876 persons
.. vacciuated in 1890. the Official gov
ornamental returns show that not ,
single case resulted fatally. aud that
while smallpox prevailed that yea
in all the neigh boring countries, bu
So cases occurred In the German Em
pire, 1,1s cases to each million o
populaaion--less than has Occurrc'
this year in Chicago. These So case
represented IS widely separated cen
tiers Of Infection, vet 30 complete va
the protection afforded by genera
vaccination that in no instance wa
there any spread Of the disease.
?. Provision for the vaccination
VI the children Of those who arc uu
able To bear the expense. should b
made by the town board. which ]
II. A>s0 Z