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79
95 per-cent. of the infantile population having received the
benefits of vaccination within the first year" after their birth;
so that the infant population was made up of "19 vaccinated
to each unvaccinated individual." The proportion of vaccinated
children is now decidedly smaller.
With regard to the protection against small-pox afforded
by vaccination—differing in degree as this does according as
the vaccination is more or less "successful"—-it ought not
to be necessary to say anything; but the pertinacity with
which some misguided persons still decry the most beneficent
of medical discoveries shows no signs of abatement; and as
their teaching is calculated to prejudice the general public
against the wise compulsion authorised by law, it was well that
the Government resolved a few years back, to appoint a Royal
Commission to enquire and report on the subject. It is a
matter for regret that last year, at a time when small-pox
threatened to assume an epidemic form, the Commissioners
should have taken a retrograde step, which is not unlikely to
be attended with disastrous results, by encouraging disobedience
to the law in respect to vaccination. The anti-vaccinators
are represented on the Commission, and their views on
the question of prosecutions appear to have had but too much
influence with those members who do not doubt the efficacy of
vaccination; for in a fifth Interim Report, a recommendation is
made which, if carried into effect, would be tantamount to an
abrogation of compulsory vaccination. At present, every
parent or person having the custody of an unvaccinated child,
who, after certain proceedings, disobeys the order of a Justice
directing the child to be vaccinated within a certain time, is
liable to a penalty not exceeding twenty shillings. And upon
proof of continued disobedience, after such order made, the
said parent or person may be fined again and again, and
even sent to prison in default of payment of the penalty.
The Commissioners report, with respect to this state of things,
that, in their opinion, "the imposition of repeated penalties