SCIENTIFIC.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3910, 11 July 1881, Page 2

SCIENTIFIC.

Compulsory Vaccination—.A debate on obligatory vaccination and re-vaceina- / tion has just taken place at the Academy of Medicine, whose advice the Chamber asked when Dr Liouville presented his, . bill in the earlier sittings. The LiouTillje :f Bill was severely handled and the final sitting was animated. JJr Legooertz, of the Val de Grace Hospital presided, When he was patting to the vote the. report of a Committee, Dr Guevin^pro-f posed to the Academy, while adnnMJHDg • its belief in the powers of raccioWon, : regretted not being able to recommend that it be made obligatory, because, firstly, to do so would be anti-scientific, inasmuch as it would fix boundaries to. soience; and secondly, it would be contrary to the prerogatives of the medical profession and individual liberty; consequently the Academy should recommend the Chamber to vote sufficient funds to multiply and perfect vaoeine institutions. Baron Larry declared himself in principle for the amendment, nevertheless the amendment was rejected. Dr Depaul then proposed that from the beginning of January next the practice of vaocination and re-vaccination be placed upon a new basis in all the territory of the Republic, and that our administrative rule should be promulgated to assure the execution of the law. Dr Hardy, when Dr Depaul was beaten, opposed obligatory vaccination. What the Chamber was to. do was to facilitate its practice undwr safe conditions. Baron Larrey propcatdi the institution of a central v*6cin,e ; establishment in every departm&»4. The first clause of the Committee's report favourable to obligatory vaeciftakio*, »«» carried by 76 against 81. la the minority were some of the most eminent lights, of science^ who were not all prepared to adnufc that Dr Jenner stood on a basis o|; absolute scientific truth, or that kia opponent's arguments were to be lightly treated. The Academy would not enter- / tain Dr Lefort's amendment, which was. to render it obligatory for the concierges or for the landlords of houses in which there are variolio patients to stick up at ' the entrance a warning placard as in Prussia. Dr Lefort is a professor of the faculty, head surgeon at the Beaujon Hospital, and has much studied the smallpox question in Franoe and abroad. He opposed ardently a report favorable to the Liouville Bill. TheAcademy had not sufficient belief in Dr Jenner to report in fayo* oi obligatory se«.. vaccination, ' ~ A