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39
Two of the Commissioners, Sir W. Guyer Hunter and Mr. Jonathan
Hutchinson, F.R.C.S., do not recommend relaxation of the law as is
implied in the above paragraphs. They state:
We think that in all cases in which a parent or guardian
refuses to allow vaccination the person so refusing should be
summoned before a magistrate as at present, and that the
only change made should be to permit the magistrate to
accept a sworn deposition of conscientious objection, and to
abstain from the infliction of a fine.
We are also of opinion that a second vaccination at the
age of twelve ought to be made compulsory.
Four of the Commissioners, Dr. Collins and Messrs. Whitbread,
Bright, & Picton express their dissent from the proposal to retain in
any form compulsory vaccination. They sign the following statement:
We cordially concur in the recommendation that conscientious
objection to vaccination should be respected. The
objection that mere negligence or unwillingness on the part
of parents to take trouble might keep many children from
being vaccinated would be largely, if not wholly, removed
by the adoption of the Scotch system of offering vaccination
at the home of the child, and by providing for medical
treatment of any untoward results which may arise.
We therefore think that the modified form of compulsion
recommended by our colleagues is unnecessary, and that in
practice it could not be carried out.
The hostility which compulsion has evoked in the past
toward the practice of vaccination is fully acknowledged in
the Report. In our opinion, the retention of compulsion in
any form will in the future cause irritation and hostility of
the same kind.