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alterations proposed have been suggested with a
view to removing some of the prejudice which exists
against vaccination, but it is scarcely prudent to
trust to so optimistic a forecast. It is singular that
England and "Wales stand pre-eminent among the
nations of Europe in the extent to which such prejudice
exists and is allowed to have sway.
As the Commissioners report so strongly in
favour of the efficiency of vaccination, and also
point out the tendency of the protection afforded to
die out in the individual, one would have expected
that a strong recommendation would have been
made in favour o? the introduction of re-vaccination
in early adult life. The success of such procedure
in Germany has been most gratifying.
If the suggestions of the Commissioners be
adopted, the future legislation would be somewhat
on the following lines : —
Vaccination, as a part of preventive medicine, would be transferred
to the sanitary authorities.
Home vaccination, as practised in Scotland, would be introduced
as an auxiliary to, or in substitution for, station vaccination.*
# The procedure would be much as follows :—At the end of six months
after the birth of each child, the vaccination officer, if he had not already
received a certificate of efficient vaccination, postponement of same, or of
death of the cliild, would notify the public vaccinator that the child required
to be vaccinated. The latter officer would thereupon visit the last known
address of the child and, if he found the child fit, would offer to vaccinate
him, otherwise he would postpone the operation and notify the vaccination
officer accordingly. After vaccination the child would be visited on the
eighth and fifteenth days as a matter of routine, and more often should
occasion arise.
Under these circumstances, the vaccinator would be enabled to take into
consideration the home surroundings of the child, a point to which the Commissioners
thought more attention ought to be given.