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188
1907]
During the seven years in which the Royal Commission was inquiring
into the question, vaccination received a decided set back, but the report and
the subsequent Act of 1898, together with the Order made under it have
gradually had a beneficial effect, so that the vaccination of the country has
generally improved.
In Islington there was considerable slackness during these years as well as
in the four years that followed, but since 1900 there has been a steady improvement,
which may be noticed in the tables given below.
The "conscientious objector," a creation of the 1898 Act, has not made
much of an appearance anywhere, but the little that he did was accentuated by
the manner with which he was treated by some Magistrates. His cry was»
however, loud enough to induce the Government to pass an Act in 1907,
entitled the "Vaccination Act, 1907" and described in its preamble "An
Act to substitute a Statutory Declaration for the certificate required under
section two of the Vaccination Act, 1898, of Conscientious Objector."
The section dealing with this subject reads as follows:—
(1) "No parent or other person shall be liable to any penalty under section twenty-nine
"or section thirty-one of the Vaccination Act, 1867, if within four months from the
"birth of the child he makes a statutory declaration that he conscientiously believes
"that vaccination would be prejudicial to the health of the child, and within seven
"days thereafter delivers or sends by post the declaration to the Vaccination
" Officer of the district; "
The form of declaration is as follows: —
"I, of in the Parish of
"in the County of being the parent (or person having the custody)
"of a child named , who was born on the day of
"19 , do hereby solemnly and sincerely declare that I conscientiously believe
"that vaccination would be prejudicial to the health of the child, and I make this
"solemn declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true, and by virtue of
"the provisions of the Statutory Declarations Act, 1835.
"Dated this day of 19 .
Signed.
"Declared before me, at on the day of
"Commissioner for Oaths (or Justice of the Peace, or other Officer
"authorised to receive a statutory declaration.")
On the 21st May, 1907, the Local Government Board made a General
Order amending their Vaccination Order of 1898 and relating to other matters
having a direct bearing on the contracts entered into between the Public
Vaccinators and the several Boards of Guardians in England and Wales.
Shortly, it may be stated that the Order considerably reduced the five
shilling minimum fee provided for Public Vaccinators by the 1898 Order, but
makes no alteration in the minima fees for Vaccination Officers.