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181
[1908
These figures would seem to indicate that anti-vaccinators are not inactive
in this borough, and probably the same may be said of other places, where
likely enough similar unfavourable statistics will be returned. The truth is
the anti-vaccinators are always active, preaching their pernicious doctrines
whenever they can find an audience, and spreading their heresies
by means of pamphlets, letters to the press, and addresses to working
men. Indeed, it has recently been suggested by one of the members
of the National Anti-vaccination League that they should extend their agitation
to the serum treatment of diseases. Indeed, this gentleman has proposed
the legal prohibition of vaccination and the intentional introduction of any disease
product into any living animal, either for prophylactic or curative or experimental
or for any other purposes. One would suppose that their madness could
hardly extend further, but unfortunately, it is found that this same gentleman
has suggested the repeal of the Vaccination Acts, except Clause 32 of the
Act of 18G7 prohibiting the inoculation of Small Pox. The exact words of
this section are as follows:—
"Any person who shall after the passing of this Act produce or attempt
to produce in any person by inoculation with variolous matter, or by
wilful exposure to variolous matter or to any matter, article, or
thing impregnated with variolous matter, or wilfully by any other means
whatsoever produce the disease of Small Pox in any person, shall be guilty
of an offence, and shall be liable to be proceeded against summarily, and
upon conviction to be imprisoned for any term not exceeding one month."
He will have neither vaccination nor inoculation. Perish the people by
Small Pox !
Now, inoculation in its day was certainly most valuable, and no doubt
would have been practised largely even now, notwithstanding its great drawbacks,
were it not that Jenner, with his great discovery of vaccination, completely
ousted it from its position.
Inoculation came from the East, and on its introduction into England was
met with opposition by some persons, and indeed one clergyman preached a
sermon in St. Andrew's Church, Holborn in 1722 from the following text:—
" So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord and smote Job with sore
boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown," arguing that these boils were
Small Pox, and that therefore Satan was the first inoculator, and consequently
that inoculation is a "diabolical operation," tending "to anticipate and banish
providence out of the world," and also "to promote the increase of vice and
immorality."