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213
likely to gain in confidence or respect, by the adventitious aid of
the police, and fine and imprisonment. But even if vaccination
were a more effective and trustworthy prophylactic than we hold
it to be, we should still think the continuance of compulsion at
the present time to be an anachronism. The Final Report of the
majority of our colleagues appears to show us this conclusively.
The view there expressed of the value of vaccination differs very
considerably from the opinion prevalent in and before 1853, the
date of the first compulsory law. Whether such limited and
conditional confidence in vaccination as is expressed in the report
of the majority would have been held by the Parliament of 1853
to justify compulsion, is,of course, a matter of opinion; but when
we recall the unqualified assurances then given that universal
efficient vaccination would secure universal immunity from smallpox,
we must say, in our opinion, it would not.
Our inquiry has shown that medical opinion as to the degree
of immunity afforded by efficient primary vaccination has been
modified since 1853, the date of the first compulsory Vaccination
Act. At that time the Epedemiological Society used its influence
to get the Act passed on the ground that the whole medical
profession was agreed on the certain efficacy of vaccination as a
preventative. The evidence we have received shows that this
agreement no longer exists. Amongst the professional witnesses
who have favoured us with their views there are marked
differences of opinion as to the length of the period during which
primary vaccination is effective. But not one of them has
maintained Jenner's first claim that vaccination conferred a lifelong
protection.
It is apparent from the history of legislation on this subject
that the assumption underlying every amendment of the law was
a strong and general belief that, if only the absolute universality
of efficient primary vaccination could be secured, epidemics would
be prevented, and practical immunity would be secured for the
whole population throughout life. On the other hand we have it