The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-14
HALLS BULKY MAIL
His Challenge to Anti Vaccination
lists Commended.
HE QUOTES SOME LOCAL FIGURES
To Him They Demonstrate COnclu-
sively the Truth of the Vac
cinatiOn Theory. @

Health Commissioner Halls mail this
morning was the largest in weeks. There
was bunch of letters from local persons
OF note, physicians and otherwise. COM
mending his vaccination creed and declar-
ing for the fairness of his proposition 10
the local Observation-Disclosures. one let
ter suggests desire to accept MS oHer
Of position at the quarantine hospital.
The writer resides at Grasston, Mlnn'
and he says he can meet all tne re-
quirements named never having had the
smallpox and never having been Vaccl-
mated. In return however, ne wants
$125 per month for not less than SIX
months. ~ ...,
There was not a line in the commits
sioner's mail from any of the local mem
bers of the "anti'' cult, but there did float
in verbal invitation from w. r. Do5byn,
secretary of the society, for DR.. Hall to
meet him in a platform discussion. DIT.
Hall filed the commendatory letters,
turned down summarily the offer from
Grasston, and declined forthwith to go
onto the platform with anybody. Said he:
am not going to be drawn into any side
issues. And most certainly I am not going
to talk against wind I have made the anti
vaccination people fair offer and they must
meet me on that ground. / will hold my
offer open for some Gays yet. The places are
those of laundress and scrubwoman.
Mr.. White and others who do not believe
in the efficacy of vaccination attribute the
results to coincidence. Now here is the
situation in Minneapolis:
Since l was elected health commissioner,
thirteen months ago, there have been trif1e
more than 500 cases Of smallpox In here. But
five had ever been vaccinated and three OF the
five had very imperfect marks. dating back
to infancy One OF the other two was boy
! of 10 who was vaccinated four years ago, and
the fifth one showed an imperfect recent scar.
Now ! should say that from ~ to 80 per cent
| of the people in Minneapolis have been sue
cessfuly vaccinated at some time OF their
| lives, most Of them within the past two years
| Is it reasonable to suppose that of the 500 OF
| more cases of smallpox in Minneapolis all bu'
| five should have come from less than one
third of the population unless there is some
| genuine merit in vaccination.
AS for the claims of the danger OF tetanus
! following vaccination, let me say that Ill the
past year this department alone has vac
cinated more than $4,000 people, and there
| have been but two cases OF tetanus, aht
| neither can be traced back to any fault or she
vaccine. .... ....
| 1t Is probable that Health Commission
| er Hall will not have to wait long foI
material with which to make the desired
experiment. Mrs. E. A. Little, living al
| lila Twenty first avenue N, pronounced
| anti-vaccinatiOnist, said to-day that she
| would furnish the two hospital employees
/ by Monday of next week.
| Mrs. Little is not a member OF the anti
| vaccination society. She was orlglnall!
! a party to the organization, but became
dissatisfied with the way things were 60
| ing and drew out. Her efforts to NEE
| Dr. Halls challenge do not have the
| sanction of the society, MI. Dobbyn de
| clares.