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decision was arrived at. It would seem indeed, that the
majority yielded to the minority, and accepted a compromise
on the matter which, in the best interests of the community,
does not properly admit of compromise.
Animal Vaccination: Calf-Lymph.—An objection to
"arm-to-arm" vaccination has been based on the fact that, as
the lymph is passed through the human system, it may
become the means of transmitting enthetic disease. This
danger, however, though by no means to be disregarded,
appears to be slight, and in practice almost inappreciable,
seeing that the late Medical Officer to the Local Government
Board stated, that he "could not learn of communication of
syphilis in vaccination being actually effected once in a
million of vaccinations." Nevertheless, and it being desirable
to remove every impediment to the full acceptance of
vaccination, it is to be desired that the Board should make
arrangements for affording to parents the option of having
their children vaccinated with calf-lymph at the public
vaccination stations. But so far from doing this, the Board
actually discourage calf-vaccination and almost penalise its
performance. Nevertheless, the Guardians in this Parish
have persisted during some years in giving the option referred
to, having made arrangements for a supply of fresh calflymph
weekly, on the days appointed for vaccination, at the
trifling cost of about £12 per annum. Stations, moreover,
public and private, have been established in London, at
which persons can be vaccinated direct from the calf, and
supplies of calf-lymph can be obtained. Direct vaccination
is highly successful at the Government stations, an average of
988 vesicles resulting from 1000 insertions of calf-lymph.
"This rate of success." it has been observed on the highest
authority, "is nowise to be had when the lymph (human or
animal) is used in any preserved condition."