The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-01-26
CONCERNING VACCINATION,


Editor of The Tribune.
Sir:-Referrlng to the case of John Nc
Lean before the Jernyn school board, in
your issue of Jan. 1st, | desire TO give q
Few facts in regard to vaccination which
II the school board knew, they would
never attempt to enforce so absurd a law
as the one in question. The Pennsylvania
law is the most barbarous vaccination act
ever put upon the books of free coun-
try. The father of the boy is right in re-
fusing to have his son inoculated again,
Tor there Is no period up to which vac
clnatlon rs protective against smallpox.
The law says vaccination must be re-
peated once every seven years. Why
seven years? In the last epidemic of
smallpox in Sheffield, England, there oc-
Cured 1901 cases of smallpox and the
city was the best vaVinated in England.
In the lists there are ten cases of (vaccn-
ated smallpox in children under one year,
and eighty-seven between the ages of
and 3. Now if vaccination doesn't protect
up to one year, why put it off for seven
year periods?
The fact is, the Legislature was imposed
upon by doctors who knew nothing of vac
cination beyond the mere modus operandi
of the incubation stage. Another fact
induces me to the same belief There is
no provision made for those upon whom
the vaccine poison will not take Any per-
son who knows anything of cowpoX knows
that there are a great many persons who
cannot be made to take this kind of in
oculaton; e. G., the Russell case In Phila-
delphia. whore the child was inoculated
six times, without a take, and then put
out of school. A law that cannot be COM
piled with is absolutely null and void and
any court will in justice so declare it,
Disease cannot be forced upon any one
for any purpose or upon any pretense. The
United States Supreme court has decided
that no legislature can bargain away the
public health, and when We consider that
upward of sixty diseases have been traced
directly 10 vaccination there is but little
doubt about the legal status of this meth
Cd of disease inoculation.
The Pennsylvania law Is also fatally
defective in that it does not define vac
cination. or course no one knows what
1t is, but this simply shows the ridiculous
ness of attempting to mix law and medi-
cine 1t seems strange that l should
make such a charge, but 1t is true never
theless. The English Royal commission
on vaccination forever settled this phase
of the question. When official witnesses
We're before this commission they were
asked one after another, What is vac
cination?" and they told the truth and said
they didn't know, but that when Dr.
Buchanan of the government board, ap-
peared he would tell them. But he didn't
appear Like some others who should
have given testimony, his health failed
him. He got worse as he was wanted
more badly and at last he died, and as he
was the only man who ever knew what
vaccination was the secret was carried
with him into his grave. He forgot to eX-
plain it and there was no one else who
could. Our great and eminent j. ii.
Raugh, who has since received the reward
for his valuable testimony, as supervs-
ing inspector of the United States board
of health, journeyed all the way from Chi
cago to give evidence as to the beauties
of vaccination in the United States, and
he also, confessed he didn't know either.
Great is vaccination and Jenner is Its
prophet.
The medical press has taken especial
delight in telling all sorts of tales about
the recent epidemic of smallpox in anti
vaccination Gloucester, forgetting all
about Sheffield and Birmingham, to say
| nothing of many other Vaccinated towns
| might mention. | want to say a few
words regarding Gloucester. I'll be brief.
Facts are stubborn things. In the recent
city election at Gloucester, nine council
lorS Were elected, eight of whom were
| anti-vaccinators, and at the head of the
poll stood the gallant secretary of the
Gloucester Anti-Naccination league. Thus
perishes another fairy tale, for it has been
proclaimed all over civilization that anti
vaccination was forever dead in Glouc5s-
ter. This vindication would hardly have
been possible If the stories being crCulat-
ed about this epidemic were true. More
| than 60 per cent. of all cases were in
Vaccinated persons, and the disease COM
menced with vaccnated persons, and it
ran from March to September before q
| single unvaccinated case occurred. Truly
| it looks as if the anti-vaCcinators We're re-
| sponsible for the epidemic, Gloucester
| history when it Is fully written will be
| interesting reading. Salus populi su-
| prema lex.
Yours for truth.
Frank ID. Blue.
Terre Haute, Ind, Jan, -,