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the visits made by the vaccinators, not a hundred unprotected
persons were found who refused to be vaccinated.
A study of the above facts only corroborates the experience
of past years in regard to the wisdom of not making vaccination
compulsory in this community except for certain classes of
persons, as the children in the public schools. The number
of persons who flatly refused to be vaccinated is extremely
small, and would certainly be very much increased by making
it compulsory. The vaccinators report finding many persons
who offered great objections to vaccination until they learned
that it was an entirely voluntary matter with them. There is
at present an excellent public sentiment in regard to vaccination,
due, I believe, partly to the familiarity with it caused by the
vaccination of school children, partly to the care with which
public vaccination has been done, and partly to the freedom of
this city from small-pox, a result which is believed to be due
to vaccination. The best way to keep the people of this city
protected from small-pox is to see that the State law in regard
to the vaccination of children is strictly enforced, and then
from time to time, as danger threatens, vaccinate from house to
house and in the manufacturing and mercantile establishments,
and also provide evening vaccination in different parts of the
city, and have all well advertised. In this way not only will
large numbers of persons avail themselves of public vaccination,
but a strong public sentiment on the subject will be aroused,
which will render entirely superfluous any attempt at compulsion,
and will effectually save this city from the disgrace and
enormous loss which so many other cities have suffered through
their negligence.
Whether or not if the performance of vaccination or revaccination
in this country were carried out by Sanitary instead
of Poor Law officials, untramelled by the restrictive orders of
the Local Government Board, framed under Act of Parliament,
would be more successful than at present it is somewhat difficult
to say. In my opinion it would be, as anything done and paid