The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1920-10-21
ANTE-V VACCINATION
BILL is MISLEADING

Editor Glacier: In behalf Of the d.
rectorate of the Public Health Associa-
tion may | through your columns give
the people of the county our point Of
/ view concerning the so-caled Anti
Compulsory Vaccination Amendment to
be voted on by the people Of Oregon
November 2.
First: The title is misnomer. 1t
would lead the uniformed to believe
that there is now compulsory vaecin.
alton law in this state. Such is not the
case. A compulsory vaccination law
requires the vaccination of children be-
fore they are admitted to public schools
as a condition of continued attendance.
Oregon never has had such law Our
present law gives the local school boa,d
the authority in times of epidemic to
require vaccination or temporary alb
sence from school. Now that is all
there 10 in this law. It is pretty toler-
ant. First it puts the authority in the
school board, body of local citizens
who are in close touch with the needs
of the community and (2) even in
times of epidemic, which happily, due
to preventative science, are not fre-
quent, the only requirement of those
who do not wish to be vaccinated is
absence from school for few days or
weeks. There is no compulsory vac
cination in Oregon Our present law
is just and tolerant. The proposed
measure is wilfully or ignorantly mis-
named.
Second; The proposed amendment
goes far beyond the merits or demerits
of vaccination as a means of preventa-
tive therapeutics. 1t is In reality an
attack on public authority in the mat
ter of health regulations. 1t attacks
the principle that disease is a matter
of social concern and control 1t makes
the individual the sole arbiter in all
matters pertaining to conn unicable
diseases. (Incidetally, too, in doing
away with the recognition of disease as
a social misfortune it strikes at the
roots of all great humane institutions
whose purpose is the prevention and
amelieration of disease. These are
founded on the tacit recognition of |
sickness not as individual but as a So |
cial misfUrtune). The passage Of this |
measure would mean that in Oregon |
persons suffering with diphtheria, |
cholera, Bubonic plague or |
any other communicable disease could |
come and go as they please. Portland |
row has law requiring that pureyors |
OF food be certified as having no vener-
cal disease. The passing Of this amend |
ment means that the cook. waiter OF
other employe in any restaurant or no
tel might be svphlitic. The pronon. |
ents OF this bill take the position that
IL is of no concern to anyone but him
self The measure reads:
Section 9. No form Of vaccination
or other medication shall
be made a condition in this state for
to or Attendance in, any pub
lic school, college, university or educa-
tional Institution; or for the employ
ment OF any person in any capacity, or
fer the exercise Of any right, the per
formance Of any duty, or the enjoy
ment of any privilege.
All provisions Of the constitution and
laws Of the state and Of the charters
and ordinances of all cities, towns, mu-
or counties therein, in con-
hict with this amendment are hereby
repealed.
Such a measure must be proposed
either by vicious men or thoughtless
men. / prefer the latter supposition
but am not willing TO be guided by
minds that are 50 careless in matters
vital to public good.
Thrid Though this measure does
not deal with vaccination per Sc and
though even informed antl-vaccina
tionists will vote against this amend
ment on the grounds of its other reac.
tionary and vicious phases. yet we do
not hesitate 20 defend vaccination it,
self. Its value is beyond per adven.
ture TO any but minds that are imper-
vioUs to scie ltifc data In the Fraaco-
Prussian war %, 900 soldiers who were
not vaccinated died from smallpox,
while only 236 of the German soldiers,
who were vacc.nated, sucCumbed to the
disease Out of 4.5O0 0J0 American
men in the Worli war, eight died Of
smallpox. All were vaccinated, and
vet we are told vaccination is more
dangerous than smallpox.
The attack on the medical profe ssion,
which has been part Of the propaganda
IF this bill is the result Of surprising
Ignorance. No profession has ever done
more unselhsh work for the public good
All the great advance in sanitation and
medicine has been made un-
Ter the Leadership Of the profession and
all for the elimination Of disease and
he consequent lessening Of demand for
nedicpl attention. Have these people
v no have been attacking the physicians
n this narrow and iutolerant manner
never beard Of Walter Reed. Trudeau 4
and Pasteur. and all those who gave
heir lives for the prevention Of dis
laser One who knows the spirit Of the
profession knows that, on the whole |
he spirit Of these men still dominates
{.
To sum up: There IS now no com
.ulsury vaccination DOB Oregon, this bin I
ttacks an public authority ir c0Htroll-
ng (by quaraFtuei any disease what
oever: vaccination has demonstrated
ts value scientifically the attack on /.
he medical profession is unjust and !
nfair TO a great body of our citizens.
W. II. Boldly.
IN nNTnT NHTWTnW HnWNTV 4