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65
could only persuade people to give up papered walls, we should have
effected a not unimportant step in household sanitary arrangements.
3. There is need of some more efficient legislation in the
matter of Vaccination. "Successful Vaccination" is a very
imperfect phrase. Is one mark on the arm to be called successful
Vaccination ? I think not; and nothing less than three marks, in
my opinion, is. Further, that there is a necessity for re-vaccination
at certain periods, at any rate after fifteen years of age, statistics
abundantly prove, even although the person might have been
successfully vaccinated as a child. I think, therefore, that greater
facilities must be given, and greater powers extended to the
authorities for the purpose of carrying out Vaccination, so that we
should reap its full benefit. For instance, it would appear that 25
per cent, of the children attending the Board Schools are imperfectly
vaccinated, that is, have not a sufficient number of vaccination
marks. At the present time, Government refuses to pay out
of the public funds for the re-vaccination of any children under twelve
years old, who have been once certified as successfully vaccinated.
Unfortunately successful vaccination does not necessarily mean
efficient vaccination. I even urge more than this, viz.: that the
Public Vaccinator ought to be allowed to go into any school he
pleases and vaccinate any child, that, in his opinion, it is desirable
should be vaccinated, without the consent of the parents. And,
further, I think that the Public Registration of successful Vaccinations,
and it being made a sine qud non in all Government and
Public Offices that candidates for appointments should present a
copy from the Public Register of having been successfully vaccinated,
would go a long way to render the public less negligent of a
simple operation, so powerfully protective against so hideous a
disease.
4. I will merely venture to express a hope that your Committee
will see your way now to consider, without delay, the desirability
of erecting a proper and efficient disinfecting chamber, without
which our sanitary machinery can scarcely be regarded as complete.