Some leading arguments against compulsory vaccination / Issued by The London Society for the Abolition of Compulsory Vaccination.

  • London Society for the Abolition of Compulsory Vaccination.
Date:
1887
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Some leading arguments against compulsory vaccination / Issued by The London Society for the Abolition of Compulsory Vaccination. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

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    VY 11 ii U o. In favour Against Do not be- of Com- 1 i .it' a i n ■ J1 ■ \ c 111 > tlv,• Compulsion. pulsion. cination. 202 650 523 35 301 210 55 367 217 81 1651 1353 145 2465 2048 295 1321 937 154 1271 945 20 922 844 47 1158 984 301 1780 1261 240 1855 1285 15 167 115 8 Maryport Mattock Bank Melbourne, Derbyshire Nelson, Lancashire Oldham (St. Mary's Ward) Paddington, Queen's Park Peterborough Eastrick, Brighouse ... Eushden and six neighbouring villages .. Scarborough... South Leeds... Thrapston ... This list is growing daily, and will be incomplete before these pages are read. But, so far, it gives a total in favour of compul- sion of 8,504, as against 60,878 opposed to it. Thus, less than 13 per cent, are imposing their will on the remaining 87 per cent, of the population. In many of the towns and villages the third question was not submitted, but 1,99G cases of injury and 428 deaths, alleged to be due to vaccination, are returned by the remaining signatories, in many instances with full circumstantial detail. The bulk of these returns, which comprise in all 65 towns, districts, and villages, have been brought before the Prime Minister and the President of the Local Grovernment Board. In addition to the testimony thus collected, public meet- ings have been held in large numbers all over the country. These meetings have been perfectly open to all comers, and resolutions condemnatory of the vaccination laws have been passed either unanimously or by overwhelming majorities. And this not only in districts known to be favourable to the repeal movement, but also in places where the law was being severely put in force against recalcitrants few in numbers, and where, if anywhere, public opinion, might have been expected to be on the side of the law and its enforcement. Of such a nature was one of the most recent of these meetings, held at Ashford, Kent, where, at a largely-attended gathering in the Corn Exchange, on Feb. 23, 1887, the following resolution was passed with but two dissentients :— That in the opinion of this meeting the continued persecution by the Ashford Board of Guardians of Charles Hayward and others, who, acting on the conscientious belief that the operation is useless or dangerous, have refused to permit the vaccination of their children, is deserving of the severest censure ; and this meeting further calls for the immediate repeal of laws which place in such unfit hands powers so readily abused. It is certain that no free public meeting could now be held at which resolutions could be passed in favour of the existing law.