The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-07

OF his lonely vigil irksome. and used to spend
them in pleasant converse with the dwcllers in
the infected houses. The third objection to vac !
~cination was put forward by a workingman
member of Parliament during the debate on
this new bill, This part of his speech was not
reported in the press. although It constituted
most Of what he said. He dilated upon the
inconvenience OF vaccination. The baby's
vacctnated in the morning." he said. and all
day long the wife is busy with her work. Then
the 'usband comes ONE and as his supper, and
they goes to bed. Well. the baby's i'll. and
cries. the husband can't 60 to sleep. no more
can the wife. so he has TO go to work after Il
restless night. and she the same" This. then.
| il tho third great objection: 1t gives a certain
lamount of Inconvenience and discomfort to the
parents.
Tie medical profession is naturally angry Mt
the prospect OF one of the greatest Of its dis
coverjes being thus neglected. Sir Granger
Stewart. who is President of this years meet
ing Of the British Medical Association at Edin-
burgh. made bitter complaint. Referring to
the good effect of modern science upon the
public health, he said:
1.-THE annual death rate in England and Scot
land has since 1855 fallen by more than one
| hfth. The proportion OF deaths from Zymotic
diseases as compared with other causes has
diminished by moro than one-third. In the
treatment OF the maladies Of every important
| organ-the heart, the lungs. the stomach. the
kidney. the liver. the brain-we can accomplish
far more by our modern methods than was
possible a few years ago. Even the great scourge
OF humanity. tuberculous disease. has been
robbed of some Of its terrors. The mortality
due to II has fallen by one-third during the past
thirty years
Then. in discussing the prevention of disease.
he brought Il peculiar charge against the
democratic constitution OF to-day. He pointed
out that with scarcely a dissentient
voice the medical profession recognizes
the transcendent value of vaccination
But from the attitude OF certain districts in
England it comes about that the greatest dis
covery in practical medicine. although 1t had
its native home in England. is less efficiently
carried out here than ii is in many parts OF tho
Continent. In Germany smallpox has prac-
t!cally disappeared: there has been no death
from it in the whole OF the vast German army
since revaccination was made compulsory"
Then he lamented that the new bill. instead
OF insisting on revaccination, which was an alb
solute necessity. had actually made such o
loophole for rs the conscience" clause.
which l have already mentioned. Sir Granger
wanted to know how far " conscientious objec-
tIons - were to be considered. In questions
OF education he said. they might make
themselves heard. In reg ard to the payment
OF taxes. conscientious objections. II once adj
mitted, would no dOuht spread Win great fa-
pidity; and in regard to the sanitary laws. the
liquor laws and many other subjects. conscien-
t!Ous scruplcs might soon assert themselves in
somewhat startling ways"
Freedom before security" he stigmatized
az a dangerous motto. which really amounted
to +" freedom to do mischief"
Such was the burden Of his complaint Us 10
the treatment preventive medical science re-
ceiyed at the hands OF a democratic %constitu-
ton. The application Of hygienic laws might.
he thought. have been cnsicr under an absolute
monarchy or an oligarchy. He said:
1T was perhaps easier in the old days when n
nl'en " anro aninrino
nnH 49," " H. VIII ~. IIoy'a-
NJ +. IN 80. " " - ~ nathattO
w. ,ao'a ,.hIah n,ioht raaaiu w
apn'r."'ron =, wv Az, 49, "nno.i,o
{ sra III va, -" ~ ros,"d ~ ,he
.nat ~ sup'r"s ~" uo ,o,a p,,nno
"anu 9 1"'" " mo-" 40 80 soiantiee
4. eoneoit' us ""o .LS
7 lacts would nave leu 10 ms Doing the
friend of such men rs Chadwick, Farr
, Parkes, and Richardson. and that at their sug-
g,stion en.ct would have been piyen tn eyery
scslloh eucc' "ou'u ave- oeeh EiNen W 80
legislative advance that medicine justified