Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-21
SO FAR. so GOOD.

The state Board OF Health appears 10
have decided not TO attempt 10 exceed
its lawful powers In reference To conf
pulsory vaccination. II has recon-
mcndcd the proper authorities OF eaoh
town where smallpox exists to cnao,
rnlc,. compelling the vaccination OF
children before being allowed to enter
the public schoola. and also the vacelnh-
ton of ali other pcrfons whom they
have reason to believe have been OF
may be directly exposed to the disease.
That IL very different to attempting TO
exercise powers with which that boay
IL not legally endowed.
We are Of the opinion that the au-
.horiues I'm those towns will be very
careful NJ TO adopting measures. Tor
any such purpose. that viii Infringe up
on the rights of American citizens. we
would much rather trust the matter In
their hands than In those OF medical
practitioners who are welded TO the
notions which constitute present
theories ON the vaccination question.
We do not think there Il very much
danger Of healthy school children, In
many places In this state, being shut
out OF the public schools which they
have a right to enter and which Tie law
requires them to attend, simply because
they have not been impreguated with
q vile disease. transferred to them by
putrid matter from an inoculated ear.
Nor do we believe that many town
councils will SO to the length OF enact
ing a rule that would compel persona 10
be yacclnnted, whom they have reason
60 believe have been or may be directly
exposed to the disease" OF smallpox.
"May be" IL u very vague EXPRESSION
ana what people may believe opens
a tremendous field OF conjecture. The
advice OF the Board OF Health IL within
the limits 81 Its lawful powers. but does
not strike the public mind with iia oS-
traordlnary comprehension OF ieslsla-
tive authority.
The question OF the benefits or other
wise OF the vaccination practice, Il one
worthy the close attention OF the medi'
cal faculty. We are aware that In the
orthodox school OF medicine II Is con-
sidcred u settled thing. Properly grad
uaicd doctors have been trained to View
the matter In this light. They are like
graduates In orthodox theology In this
respect The idea that these so-callcd
settled theories are open TO dis.
pute. causes satisfied amll,
upon their eouiented eountenances. Bu
the alleged "sclence" OF medicine has
been subject TO 20 many radioa
changes. the experience OF one age en-.
tirely upsetting the profcsscd l;nowl'
edge Of previous periods, that progress.
slvc minds ought TO be open to further
light and DO very careful not TO be too
tenacious as to the past.
s.. We have received the following letter
TO which We give place in this connec
tion. and we echo the sentiment con
tanned In Its postscript. Let the debat,
come ont
Salt Lake City. Utah. Dec. 20. 1899.
To the Editor:
'sir-I am more than pleased to ne
the stand that you have taken In re
position In the matter IL the progress
hiyc ana right one. Vaccination In
relic OF barbarlsm. older than authcn
tic medicine. and should be RELOCATED 4
the shades % oblivion along wit
bleeding and salvation. The humal
family are already sadly afflicted wit
multiplicity OF diseases, and wer
they not held In submission to u domi
neoring medical profession would ban
lsh the man or men who dared to ad
anything further to their mlserios.
vaccination positively does not pro
tect the persons Vaccinated from small
pox. but rather lays them the NOR
liable TO disease. In Vncclnntin
healthy human beings you have In
fccted them with n loathsome dlaoas
Intended by the Creator to aiillct onl
the brute creation. and yet n misruide
medical profession Insist that the pee
pie must not only suffer with their ow
Ills. but must take on those OF the an
mails also.
'"rhe average doctor Is an honest In
dividual and ordinarily works FOR IN
good OF his patients. but too often
takes for granted that what his aim
mater and the common authorities "a
II the truth and does not stop to IL
vestlgntc for himself tho real facts
the case. " he had. the theory OF va,
cinatlon would have been as dead q
Caesar half century ago,
we are Just now going through WIN
ENGLAND did some years ago. and whe
tho doctors and the people are con
PEELED 10 look M the subject and statii
Ties for themselves, the same result wi
INSTRUMENTATION will cense.
20. w, HARVEY, NJ. d.
"P, ST. should like very much 10 81
some OF our most prominent modlcl
mon who are advocates OF vncclnntlt
attempt to reply to the challenge OF ,
T. B. q. w. H."
TEnnInIr ptt.nrn