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53
SUMMARY OF THE REPORT OF THE ROYAL
COMMISSIONERS ON VACCINATION.
This Commission was appointed in the month of May, 1889
to enquire and report as to—
(1) The effect of Vaccination in reducing the prevalence of, and
mortality from, Small-pox.
(2) What means, other than Vaccination, can be used for diminishing
the prevalence of Small-pox; and how far such means could be
relied on in place of Vaccination.
(3) The objections made to Vaccination on the ground of injurious
effects alleged to result therefrom; and the nature and extenof
any injurious effects which do, in fact, so result.
(4) Whether any, and, if so, what means should be adopted for preventing
or lessening the ill effects, if any, resulting frjm Vaccination;
and whether, and, if so, by what means, Vaccination with
animal vaccine should be further faciliated as a part of public
Vaccination.
(5) Whether any alterations should be made in the arrangements and
proceedings for securing the performance of Vaccination, and, in
particular, in the provisions of the Vaccination Acts with respect
to prosecutions for non-compliance with the Law.
The Commissioners, in introducing their report, state:—
(3) "Our inquiry has been a prolonged one. We would gladly have concluded
our labours at an earlier date; but we thought it desirable to give full
scope to the evidence of those who were opposed to Vaccination as well as
those who favoured the practice, in order that, whatever the value of the
opinions we expressed, they should at least be the fruit of an exhaustive
inquiry. Moreover, a thorough and systematic investigation of certain local
epidemics necessarily involved much expenditure of time, and it would not
have been possible for us to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion as to the risk
attending Vaccination unless our examination of cases of alleged injury
had extended over a considerable period."
After fully considering all the evidence at their disposal, the
Commissioners conclude with respect to (1)
"We think
(377) 1. That it (vaccination) diminishes the liability to be attacked
by the disease.