The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-05-01

man on earth knows. The condition
of the system to handle or expel the
injected poison, no man on earth
knows Serious results and sad dis
appointments follow the most skilful
and painstaking operations. Gentle
men these are Gods truths, and I as
Sert without fear of successful con-
tradiction that it is the most uncer-
tain, unreliable and by far the most
dangerous experiment made use of by
medical practitioners in any civilized
or uncivilized country
Gentlemen, we are and of right ought
to be, the natural guardians of our
own households, and 1 think you will
agree with me that, especially with
the present rareness of smallpox, the
children of Connecticut are perfectly
safe, and their interests sufficiently
guarded by their parents and family
physicians, without the preSumptious
and unwelcome interference of meddle-
some boards of health. If you think
that in an epidemic of smallpox you
and your family physicians can safe
guard your own families why not ac-
cord others the same right and priv
ilege.
denies would follow the passage of
this measure, is entirely without scien-
tific or reasonable foundation. Those
who would profit from such conditions
might try to induce them, but even
then, those vaccinated would be ac-
cording to their theory perfectly safe,
and those not, would have abundant
opportunity to be.
Gentlemen, when I consented to ap-
pear before you, it was with a firm re-
solve to conf1ne myself strictly to the
truth as I understand 1t and to such
facts as I thought would enable you to
more correctly understand the just
ness of the measure under considera-
ton. To that end 1 have given you
the honest convictions of large num-
Der of physicians from different states
who have had many years of practice
and experience. in addition, at my
own expense, 1 sent to a number of
physicians in this state the following
letter with the following result: I said:
Dear Doctor:
do you consider compulsory vac
cination advisable or necessary at this
| time in Connecticut
'In case of an epidemic of smallpox
| in Connecticut do you think the chill
dren would be sufficiently safeguard
| ed by the parents and the family ply
sicians?"
have so far received 40 replies, and
/ of that number IS say compulsory vac
cination is not advisable or necessary
and that in case of an epidemic OF
smallpox the children would be sufh-
GENTLY well looked after by the pa
rents and family physicians And !!
want to say further that these are all
regularly licensed drug practitioners
and that there is not a single social
| ed irregular physician among the num-
ber So many objected to use of their
names that will only add that they
reside in 80 different localities and like
the hundreds Of others cited, have been
| forced from actual experience to
change from a belief in favor of, to
conscientious disbelief in and opposi-
| tion to compulsory vaccination. They
are your constituents, neighbors and
friends, interested in the welfare OF
you and yours, of as high social, mora
and professional standing as any OF
our opponents, and what they know
from experience must establish great
er weight with you than the mere
| opinion of others. This is by far the
most important measure that can OF
| will come before our legislature, and
hope you will do your full duty by re-
porting favorably on this bill under
consideration, and using every hon.
| orable endeavor to have it's passage
unanimous. For L assure you there
| is not a single act possible to this
| legislature, that will be of as great
benefit and blessing. bring as much joy
| to the hearts of the people oe this
commonwealth, and earn for yS0 the
pure and unauthorized gratitude OF
your constituents, equal to the passagt
of this bill doing away with compul
sorry vaccination
Gentlemen I sincerely thank you.