New Britain herald., 1924-03-19
COMMUNICATED
DIRECTED AT ANTS

Editor of The Herald:
 At time like this. when the germs of smallpox are in the air and per haps lurking on the clothes of our neighbor in shop or store or trolley and more than all. when our health Ioard has given the order for all school children to be Haccinated. 1t seems to me to he rank bolshevisln for these rabid anti-yaccinationists to air their views in the public press and to quote statistics for which they give no authority. Every man is entitled to his own opinion. and if these men do not believe in vaccination and do rot wish to immuniZe thor families, let them take their chance on small noy.--but don't let them try to in auence other people. and thus en- danger lives and health and faces. Our board of health has issued an order. It is tip to the people Of the city to oh,y ', to cooperate in every way in checking this loathsome disease, which is one of the most highly con tagious ones. The doctors who advise us to be vaccinated have spent years in the study of disease and they know what they are doing. Vaccination has existed too long to be considered an '! experiment.. Unlike the typhoid i'm oculations of our friend in tonight's s paper, vaccination is not a new de- velopment-it is a positive fact that successful vaccination absolutely immunizes for five years, at least. Medical science relies on facts, not on superstition. and facts have proven the worth of vaccination, and small poy cannot be checked without it unless il is by everybody's taking the disease and thus being immune to I further attacks.
 It is no more filthy to be inocuated with vaccine virus than it is to cal cows hoofs in the form of gelatine, oi to take deadly poisons in the form oi medicine. to combat illness--we never hesitate at that. when necessary! II may be true that, once in a few thons. and cases. there are serious conse- quences rom vaccination, but every time WI prick our finger --even though with sterile needle-there is an equal chance that bacteria will get in and do damage. Most of us would rather take the long chance on vac cinaiion than to stand the dangerous chance of contracting the loathsomc, disilguring smallpox, Those who would rather take the chance on smallpox are welcome to do so, and may sit back and snicl<er up their sleeves at the folly Of the rest Of us if they wish: they are Bs welcome tc their opinions as they should allow us to be to ours But-=-at a time likf ftbt present---with the disease in tho city. new cases every day, and orders from the health department, these amt" propagandists should at least cooperate to the extent of keeping st.lE for their propaganda can dc absolutely no good and may do much harm to people who listen to thcil harangpo and tiradcs rather than ts the advice or tho great majority oi medical men, who certainly wonldn''
 infiet vaccination on their own fami
 lies unlass they were sure Of thoi
 ground. If thcne "antis" arc really s, anxious for tho welfare of the people ol the city. lei them realize that the,
 arc hindpring the work Of fhe hcaltl
 hoarl. and that they arc intcrferin,
 in pretty serious situation. when involves life. health and personal ap pcafancr. let the responsibility he long to the hoard of health, which i , rcitainly working hcroically, and ~h, also don't give orders unless the, 1 know what they are doing. We of tn city must cooperate in checking th , disnasc. by vaccination df VIC bcliey
 in it). in silence tif VIC don't) B f SUI "antis," aud let us be as welcom , io our opinion and that Of our healti |. oard and doctors, as VIC are perfccti
 wiling you should hc Of yoursl
 COOPERATION.