The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-05
Compulsory Vaccination Now Being Re-
sorted to by the Authorities.
LOTS OF WORK FOR LAWMAKERS
Good and Bad Legislation Combined Will Put
Them to Their WitS-Talk of New Dailes
Designated as Bosh-Some Mayor
atty Timber Referred To.

Special to The Age-Herald.
Atlanta, Dec. 4.-Smallpox is the SEN
sation of the hourl
The disease has been quietly sneaking
Through the back streets of the city
for the past three months, but the people
did not get excited and lose their heads,
until the country papers got hold Of the
matter, and began publishing exagger-
ated reports. Then, the authorities got
together and, beginning with yesterday,
sent fifty doctors out with policemen,
Ito visit every store, shop, office, dwell
ing and cabin, and vaccinate every per-
son not able to show a satisfactory scar
or certificate.
The physicians have just commenced
their work, and persons who refuse to be
vaconated will be heavily fined, sent
to jail or forced to leave town.
This furry was duly headlined in the
daily papers and now the country week
lies advise their readers to stay away
from Atlanta. So the prudential step
of the authorities is having an effort con-
trary to what was inltended 1t Is fright
ening the country people, instead of re-
assuring them.
All sorts of complications are expected.
Hundreds of people live in the suburban
towns, and come in every day to their
business. These claim that as they are
not residents of Atlanta, the city ordin-
ance about vaccination does not apply
to them. But an effort will be made to
reach them, and they may be ordered to
stay at home, If they refuse to submit.
The point has been ruled on in Column
bus, where a superior court Judge held
that nonresident doing business in the
city would have ITO be vaccnated or
leave.
Public opinion is hot on both sides of
the question.
"As citizen not believing in vaccna-
tion," said gentleman yesterday, mo
man can forcibly make me submit to it
or punish me for refusing. l know
my rights as a citizen"
''Well, I'm id certain" replied lis
tener shat no man has a right to walk
around here endangering the lives of
Others. and he will not be permitted to
do 1T. He will have to yield to the
opinion of the majority about vaccina-
tion."
And so 1t goes. The negroes give the
most trouble. 1t is hard to run them
down, and thousands of them had just
as soon be ARRESTED as not. An effort is
being made to refuse employment to all
who have not been vaccinated
All of this excitement hurts Atlanta's
Christmas trade. 1t comes at the worst
possible time, and will ruin some of the
merchants.
A generation ago smallpox was here
every winter, but the old-fashioned au-
thorlties and newspapers kept 1T a secret
until they had stamped 1t out Now,
they make a parade over it in the news
papers, and their foolish gable scares
people and Injuries business.
Some educated people do not believe
in vaccination. There is a big anti-vac-
cination society in England which pub
fishes newspapers and pamphlets and
holds annual mass meetings. I got
hold of one of their pamphlets once. and
1t told of so many horrible diseases and
deaths resulting from vaccination that
1T converted me. However, 1 am will
ing to go with the gang If they all
come to the conclusion THAT behea ding a.
person is the only way to save him
from smallpox I will let my head go with
the others.
The next generation OF medical experts
may laugh at vaccination as much as
we now laugh at some of the remedies of
fifty years ago. The great discoveries