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The Commissioners recognise the importance of a suggestion of the vaccination
and sanitary authority, in all cases being identical, and would regard with favour any
steps taken to render the amalgamation of the vaccination and sanitary authorities
feasible.
With reference to the third question as to the alleged injury to health due to
vaccination, the report states that after a careful examination of the facts the
following conclusion has been arrived at:—
"Although some of the dangers said to attend vaccination are undoubtedly real
and not inconsiderable in gross amount, yet when considered in relation to the extent
of vaccination work done they are insignificant. There is reason further to believe
that they are diminishing under the better precautions of the present day, and with
the addition of the further precautions which experience suggests, will do so still
more in future."
With reference to the fourth question as to the means which should be
adopted to prevent or lessen the ill effects, if any, resulting from vaccination, the
Commissioners suggest (1) that the means of obtaining calf lymph for the purpose of
vaccination should be within the reach of all; (2) that the age period within which
vaccination is obligatory should be extended from three months to six months from
the date of birth; (3) that the practice of vaccinating children within a few days of
their birth as is the case in some of the workhouses, infirmaries and lying-in-hospitals
should not be carried on unless there is at the time obvious danger of smallpox
infection : in such cases, where on that account vaccination has become necessary, the
operation should be limited to a single insertion of the vaccine matter and the infant,
should be, if possible, kept under observation until the arm is healed; (4) that, with
regard to erysipelas or septic disease following on vaccination, it is desirable that the
Local Government Board should settle a form of clear and simple rules for guidance
in the care of the vaccinated arm and for the avoidance of likely sources of injury or
irritation of that part; that the risk of injury would be sensibly lessened if children
as a rule were vaccinated and inspected at their own homes; (5) that vaccination
ought to be postponed when erysipelas, scarlet fever, measles or chicken pox are
prevalent in the district in which the child resides, and that discretion should also be
exercised when the child's surroundings and other conditions render the operation at
the time undesirable; (6) that vaccination vesicles should not be opened unless for
some adequate reason; (7) that lymph should be preserved in tubes instead of on
"dry points" as thereby safety would be increased, and that each tube should contain
only sufficient lymph for the vaccination of one person; (8) that precautions as to
sterilising the instruments used should be insisted upon, and that care should be
taken not to place the insertions too near together; and (9) that the vaccinated arm
should be inspected during the second week after the operation, instead of on the eighth
day, and again during the third week. If these precautions were adopted the
Commissioners are of opinion that untoward incidents of vaccination already rare
would become much rarer.