The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-29
A LET-UP IN VACCINATION.
PUBLIC HAS UNTIL APRIL G TO COM
PLY WITH LAW.

Refusal of MIR. w. ID. KrensOn to
Bare His Arm TO DIR. Levi Resulted
in Decision by the Mayor Which
Caused DIR. Drummer to Call on His
MISREPRESENTATION VIII Continue
at Offices of city Physicians, How
ever-COmpuIsOry Vaccination to
BE RigidIy Enforced After April
Snys the Mayor aud 500 Fines
VIII he Imposed for NOn-com-
pliance.
Health officer Brunner's vaccination
programme was somewhat disarranged
yesterday by a decision by Mayor Myers,
based upon the terms of his proclamation,
published in yesterdays Morning News.
The proclamation announced that, as
precautionary measure, all persons resi-
dent in the city or county must be vac
cinated within the next ten days, ending
April 6, $780," and that after the expra-
ton of that time the law would be rigid
ly enforced as to all persons not vaccin-
ated. The proclamation was based upon
that section of MacDonelrs code, which
provides for compulsory vaccination in
Chatham county.
As DR.. Drummer has been practically en-
forcing compulsory vaccination for some
time past it did not occur to him that
the proclamation would interfere with the
programme which he had mapped out, the
city having been divided into districts, be-
ginning on the west side, each district be-
ing taken in turn.
Mayor Myers holds, however, that the
people having been allowed until April 6,
by the proclamation in which to comply
with the law at their own convenience,
that 1t would not be just to force any
citizen who chooses to take advantage of
this time allowance, to undergo compul-
sorry vaccination When DR.. Drummer was
informed of this ruling on the part of the
Mayor, he called in his force of city ply
scians and sanitary inspectors, who were
engaged in the work on the west side, and
notified them to suspend operations for
the present. This, however. does not APP
ply to the work conducted by the city
physicians at their public offices, where
they will continue to vaccinate applicants
as usual.
The incident which gave rise to this de-
cision on the part of the Mayor occurred
at the hardware establishment of j. d.
Weed & Co. on Broughton street. Drs.
Levi, Johnson and Guerard, accompanied
by Sanitary Inspector Mcdonald and Po-
liceman Masters, had entered the store for
the purpose of vaocinating those at work
there. Mr.. Weed and a young employee of
the firm were met at the door. Mr.. Weed
stated that he had been vacclnated and
his statement was accepted. The young
man had not been and he was accordingly
Vaccinated by DIR. Guerard Drs. Johnson
and Guerard then continued through the
building to the yard in the rear, where
they inspected the arm of a white en-
ploye and vaccinated negro. Returning
to the building they found DR.. Levi and
Mr.. w. D. Krenson, the junior member
of the firm, engaged in a heated colo
guy. DR.. Levi was engaged in CONVERSE
ton with Mr.. H. d. Weed on the subject
of vaccination when Mr.. Krenson inquir-
ed whether it was required that the vac
cination be immediate, stating
that II was his understanding
that the proclamation allowed
several days in which to comply with the
requirements. Dr. Levi replied that vac
cination must be immediate and that Mr.
krenson would have to submit or show
evidence of vaccination. Mr. Krenson de-
clined to do anything of the kind and
DR.. Levi said that he should do so. Mr..
Krenson expressed himself in emphatic
terms as to the methods adopted by the
city and as to DIR. Lewis conduct in par
ticular. DR.. Levi insisted that the law
must be enforced, and called in Police
man Masters and instructed him to ar
rest Mr.. Krenson.
The officer was about TO call the hurry
up wagon from the barracks when some
one in the office of Weed & Co. called up
Mayor Myers by telephone and informed
him of the circums tances. The Mayor
requested DR.. Levi TO step to the phone
and instructed him that where a citizen
chose to avail himself of the ten days al
lowed by the proclamation and declined
to be vaccinated, that he could not be
forced to submit, nor should he be plac-
ed under arrest. DIR. Levi notified Health
Officer Erunner of the instructions which
he had received from the Mayor, and the
health officer instructed the physicians to
knock off work.
When seen about the matter Dr. Brun-
ner said that under the Mayors interpre-
tation any person. black or white could
decline TO submit to vaccination within
the time allowed by the proclamation, and
this being the case it was useless to I'M
dertake to enforce general vaccination. The
physicians will continue, however. to vac
cinate those who apply to them at their
offices, he said. DR.. Drummer had very
little to say as to the turn which affairs
had taken.
Mayor Myers. when asked about the
matter, said that he saw no reason WHY
the health officer should not continue to
carry on the work as he had been doing
while the city has the right to enforce
compulsory vaccination" he said ''the
work is necessarily one which must be
conducted with discretion. If a citizen
chooses to avail himself of the ten days
allowed in the proclamation he has this
privilege. After April compulsory vac
cination will be rigidly enforced Even
then, however, it will not be i'm order to
arrest a reputable citizen who declines to
comply with the law. All that is necessary
in that case will be simply to place his
name upon the information docket, and
have him summoned to appear in Police
Court. You can state that the fines will
most certainly be enforced in such cases
A few 500 fines Will have a very salutary
effect in bringing citizens of all classes
to see the necessity for complying with
the law"
Mr.. Krenson is at present and has been
for several days Nursing a very sore arm
into which the virus was injected some
time ago. Having taken offense at Dr.
Lewis manner, however, he would neither
admit that he had been vaccnated nor
IN nvbf . he