IS IT FUTILE?

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 821, 21 May 1910, Page 3

IS IT FUTILE?

THE VACCINATION LAW

SOME STRIKING-FIGURES.

Regarding the withdrawal of tho summonses which had been laid at Christchurch against a large number of citizens for alleged breach of thd vaccination law, the Hon. D. Buddo (Minister for Public Health) informed a reporter yesterday that tho decision of the Government was due to the fact that an official report on the subject of vaccination was now beiiig prepared. Questioned as to the scope of the official 'nqu'ry, Mr. Buddo replied that ho was not in a position to say. J.ne reporter: Is it proposed to in'ect? ° legislation on the subMr. Buddo: Well, I can't say anything on thai point either. What the Law Says. Under the existing law (it will bo recalled) it is provided as follows:— "Tho parent or custodian of °l et n • clliltl bonl "" New Zealand shall in the case of the parent within 12 months after tho child's birth and in the case of the custolian within 12 months after becoming custodian cause the child- to be vaccinated, etc." "It shall be the duty of the parent or custodian of every unvaccinated pupil attending a public school to cause such pupil to bo vaccinated, etc." "In every case where to the knowledge of any registrar, public vaccinator, or vaccination inspector a child over tho age of 12 months and under the age of 14 yeaTS is unvnecinated .... a vaccination notice shall be sent to the child's parent or custodian requiring the parent or custodian 'to cause the , child to bo vaccinated, etc." Exemption from vaccination may be granted in the following circumstances :— "At any time within four months after the birth of a child, the child's parent or custodian if conscientiously of opinion that vaccination would be prejudicial to tho child's health may apply to any magistrate or registrar for a certificate of exemption. "Provided that where the child's parent or custodian is resident outside of a borough the application for exemption may be made to and the certificate granted by a justice." In the caso of neglect to cause a child to be vaccinated, it is provided: "Every person is liablo to a fine not exceeding £2 if being the parent or custodian of a child he fails or neglects without reasonable excuse to cause his child to be vaccinated." "Scares" More Successful. Despite tho stringent law now in force, tho number of children successfully vaccinated in 1906 was smaller than during any year since 1897. The statistics published year by year by the Health Department show unmistakably that vaccinations are likely to be numerous only on the occasions of small-' pox "scares." Following is the record of the vaccinations for the ten. years ended 1906:— Vaccinations. Under Under Total ono 14 Year. Births. Year. Years. 1897 18,733 "6,102 12,<10 1898 18,055 ■ 5,507 10,3J9 1899 .... 18,835 3,379 5,133 1900 19,5<16 3,151 4,520 1901- 20,431 1,984 3,768 19Q2* 20,G55 2,611 . 8,763 1903* 21,529 5,5G6 11,683 1904* 22,7G6 2,323 18,368 1905 23,682 2,079 3,518 1906 '24,252 1,810 3,602 *Duo to the slight visitation of smallpox from abroad. Why an additional official report on the subject of vaccination is now needed is difficult to understand. Every year the Chief Health Officer has included lengthy remarks on tho question in his annual report. In 1908 Dr. Mason once again drew attention to'what lie regarded "as the lamentable disregard of the law relating to vaccination." "Compulsion Should Cease." Hβ wont on to say: "The time has come when all parents who have not had their children vaccinated or obtained n certificate of exemption should bo brought before the magistrate, or— and I say it with tho deepest regretalter the law so that even the semblance of compulsion shall cease. If this were done, our children would not be less protected than they are at present, and this absolutely futile system of pretended compulsion would cease. . . . There is little need, judging from past experience in New Zealand, to resort to compulsion when small-pox is close at hand, ajid every endeavour must be mado to protect tho pcoplo at such times. . . . Power should be given when small-pox is present to draw a circle round the point of infection, and require all within tho zone to submit." According to another well-known medical practitioner, the chief weaknesses in tho present law (assuming that it is necessary) are:—

(1) That tlie compulsory clauses relate only to children under 14 years; and

\ (2) That it doos not provide for revaccinatioD at stated intervals.