The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-07-29
DIR. HAYDEN DISCUSSES
VACCINATION LAW
TELLS PEOPLE OF MILL THAT STATE LAW is STRICT
AND THAT RESPONSIBILITY ENFORCEMENT LIES
WITH ALL IN AUTHORITY.

DR.. A. H. Hayden, epidelnioligist
of the State Board Of Health, sepak-
ing before large audience at the
Abbeville Cotton mill school Wednes-
day night, said that the state law re-
qairing vaccination of school chill
dren as preventive of smallpox is
very specific and strict and that re-
sponsibility for its enforcement rests
ON all in authority, whether parents,
teachers, superintendents or trus-
tees. He emphasized chat smallpox is
a preventable disease, and the fact
that there has been no epidemic in
this county recently does not mean
that there will be none, but on that
account the next one is much more
likely to be severe. This is true, he
said, because once an epidemic be-
gins people who are not prejudieed
against vaccination hasten to avail
themselves of this means Of protec-
ton, while during periods when
there are no cases in community
people are inclined to forget the dan
ger Of this dreadful disease and dis
continue vaccinating children.
The, state law, DR.. Hayden ex-
planned, provides that all children
before they shall be admitted to any
public school, shall have been vacci-
mated for smallpox during the first,
sixth, and fifteenth years. The PEN
atty for failure of superintendent,
school board or principal, parent or
guardian, to enforce the terms OF
this provision of the law is fine
OF 500 or 80 days in Jail. DR.. Hay
den said that it was a well known
fact that the law is not being en-
forced in this county. Outside Of the
,penalty of the law, DIR. Hayden said,
the obligation of all in authority to
take every precaution to keep from
children in their charge the marks
of this disease is morally binding.
The death Of any child from small
5pox or Disagreement due to the dis
ease should 9e directly chargeable
TO parents, teachers and trustees and
there should be exacted a suitable
penalty.
Thep repaired part of DR.. Hayden's
address follows: -.y -.
& Smallpox is the most conlmunica-
Bile or contagious Of all diseases with
which health authorities have to
deal, but at the same time it is the
most easily and surely preventable
through vaccination. OF all pre-
ventable diseases, it is the easiest to
control, if individual and community
cooperation can be obtained. So GER
tain is this and so we'll is this fact
known to all classes Of persons, that
all who contract the disease after
having reached the age Of discretion
are personally responsible and are
certainly not deserving of sympathy,
but, on the contrary, are deserving
Of severe censure for thus making
themselves serious menace to the
health and happiness. of the COM
munity in which they live. Further,
those who are responsible for the
care of children should these chill
dreny contract the disease, are de-
serving Of severer censure and are
also guilty of q crime against child
hood should these children or any Of
them, lose their lives or their eye
sight, or even be disagured from
the effects OF this most loathsome
Of an diseases. Furthermore, such
persons are guilty Of flagrant vio-
lation of a law of the state, which
for the protection Of its children, re-
quires all children to be vaccinated
during the first sixth and 18th
years" and makes it "the duty of
every parent, guardian or other per-
son charged with the care OF or re-
sponsibihty fe- any child TO see that
the child is vaccinated 50 often as
may be directed by ordinance of the
incorporated city or town in which
the child resides, or if not resident
Of an incorporated city or town, so
often as the rules and regulations
OF the state board Of health shall d.