The Washington herald., 1909-01-11
Compulsory Medicine.

Eii'o- The Washington Hs-zld.
I would like TO quote what some dis
tiuguished men have 10 say on "compuI-
sory vaccination" FOR the benefit Of those
who enjoy fair play. and believe any
medical practice should be accepted on
IFS merits and not be enforced upon IN
tslligent people IN a free country.
Dr. Alfred Russell Wallace. who has
Just been awarded this years COpley
medal OF the Roysl Society by the King
OF England for his enormous contrfbu-
tons to natural history. and in appTecia-
ton Of the part he took in working out
the thOry OF the origin OF species By nat
UTal selection has this 10 say regarding
compulsory vaccination: The reckless
way in which fslse or one-sided state
ments are promulgated by prO-vaccinists
IS surely an indication Of the badness OF
their cause. A good ard scientific prac-
tice never needs bOlstering I'd by exag-
geration and lies I stepped out Of my
special path TO strike a blow al this
Wr5tched superstition as soon as became
thoroughly convinced OF its errors and
OF the cruelty arising out OF its compul-
sory enforcement
He proves by the most reliable stats
tics that the best vaccinated towns in
England. Ireland Scotland and Wales
have suffered most from smallpox. and
shows by unvacCinsted Leicester that
sanitary regulations are the greatest foes
Of smallpox.
Herbert Spencer said: 7 am strongly
opposed 10 compulsory vaccination.
Daniel Webster said. Compulsory vac
cination is an outrage and a gross inter
ference with the liberty OF the people in
a land of freedom. Dr. Felix Oswald
said: Compulsory vaccination ranks
with human slavery and religious perse-
cutions as one of the most mischieSoUs
outrages upon the rights OF the human
race" 1T might be seriously questioned
II men have ever suffered from the hands
Of their felloT-men z more unqualified
evil"
One Of the greatest physicians Phila-
delphia ever produced said: 1t is sn
intolerable tyranny 70 compel vaccina-
ton by aw"-Constantine Herring. NJ. d.
Prof AdO,ph VOgt says; NO man
should be allowed chance Of tamperiug
with his fellow mans blood" can emf
ilt llrulCGi SClCHllSA-l III " D 1loh ~
OF Indianapolis. SAYS: IF there is any
thing in this world that a man really
cwns, Il is his own blood. and who shall
deny him the right Of resistance TO on
slaughts against IL or that or his chill
dren. whose natural protector he Is.
either by the highvayman' butcher knife
or the public vaccinatoT's lancet. No
man. not even health officer has the
right 10 disease another against his viii.
| The chilG's right 70 pure an uncontsmi-
mated blood should not be disputed. GER
tainly not by his education purveyors
Mr. Justice Field declared 027 L. S.
/ 6s2l that the inalienable rights OF man
were endowed by his Creator. not by the
grace OF emperors or kings or BY legis-
| lation or constitutional enactment. apd
to secure them. not TO grant them. gov
ernments were instituted among men"
Blackstone In his commentaries on the
laws OF England said land II should be
engraved as with a diamond on the mind
OF every citizen who has q child: NO
human laws are Of sny validity II con
| trary TO the laws OF nature. and such
OF them az are valid derive all their
/ force and all their authority Immediately
/ from this original. Compulsory vaccina-
/ tlon is an invasion Of the personal rights
/ OF the individual to live IN the condition
that God made him under the guise OF q
police regulation"
DR.. ]. ". Hodge says: The compul-
soT vaccination laws we're never de-