SCHOOL VACCINATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVII, Issue 6535, 6 February 1882, Page 5

SCHOOL VACCINATION.

TO THK HDITOB. Bib,— As Mr H. B. Cooks is anxious that the second letter which 1 wrote to him, and his reply to it, should be published, with your permission I shall be glad to comply with his wish. In order that the public may be able to judge whether or not I was merely carrying out the instructions which the Govonment hod sent me, I beg leave to quote the follow* ing extract from the circular issued to all public vaccinators : “In the event of any being raised to the operation of vaccination by either the children or the parents or guardians of any children, you should, if you have reason to believe that there has not been any previous vaccination, either yourself issne a notice as prescribed by section 188 of 1 The Public Health Act, 1876,’ or the case to the Begistrar and Vaccination Inspector, with a request thot he will issue the notice." Section 185 reads as follows It slyiU be lawful for any or for any Public Vaccinator, or for any Vaccination Inspector, and such officer last aforesaid is hereby* required to cause a notice in the form in the seventh schedule to this Act tp bo handed to the parent or other person having the custody of any unvacoinatod child over the age of six montos, and under the age of fourteen years, resident within his district. If after such notice such parent or other

person, as the ease may be, shall neglect for a period of one month to cause such child to be vaccinated, such parent or person so offenda sum not exceeding forty " If any further proceedings are necessary, action should be taken, cither by yourself or the Begistrar, under section 145 of the Act, to have the parent and child summoned before a Justice of the Peace—the child then examined, and, if not previously vaccinated, an order of tho Justice for such vaccination obtained." _ The public will judge whether I have been "dictatorial" in the matter or Mr H. B. Cooks obstructive.—l am, Ac., OOUBTNKY NED WILL. Christchurch, Feb. 4. The following is the correspondence;— " Christchurch, Get. 4,1882. "Sir,—With reference to the letter of Sept. 28, which has been addressed to you by the Board of Education, I have the honour to beg that you will, with as little delay as possible, be good enough to authorise me to visit your school for tne purpose of carrying out the instructions of the Government, and to request the master to give notice of my intended visit.—l have, Ac., " CoraxNßY Nbdwill, M.D., “ Public Vaccinator, “ Christchurch District. "The Chairman " Sydenham School Committee." " Sydenham, Oot. 6,1881. "Sir, —£ have the honour most respectfully to inform yon that, before I answer your letter, 1 should be glad to know what coarse you purpose taking re vaccination. The Committee believe that they have no power to compel stripping the children for purposes of inspection or vaccination of children against the will of their parents. The head master requests me to point ont that the present time is inopportune, as (he children are shortly expecting their annual inspection. Great caution will be necessary in the matter of vaccination, as some weeks age, on a false rumour of a visit from the vaccinator, a large number of children absented themselves by direction of their parents.—l have, Ac., “H.B, Cooks, . “ Chairman of Sydenham. " Dr 0. Nedwill.” "Christchurch, Oot. 6,1881. Sir, —In reply to your letter of yesterday’s date, I have the honour to inform you that it is my intention to examine every child in attendance at any of the- schools in the district, which come under the 164th section of the Public Health Act, for the purpose of asosrtaining whether vaccination has in every case been performed, and if no objection is raised by the children or their parents, to vaccinate all those found unvaccinated. In the event of the children or their parents objecting to the operation, it will then be my duty to report such objections to the Begistrar with the view of getting him to serve notices requiring vaccinations to be carried out within a certain date, and in default have the parents summoned before a magistrate to answer for their disobedience of the Public Health Act.

" The head master, I fear, has not realised that it is in consequence of the fear of a visitation of small-pox that the Government is anxious to have vaccination universally carried out, otherwise he could scarcely have considered ‘ the present time inopportune.’ “ I trust, therefore, that you will be good enough to afford me every facility for ascertaining the number of children in your school unprotected from small-pox by reason of neglect of vaccination. —I am, & a., “ COUBTHBY HBDWIIiL.”

“Sydenham, Oofc. 10,1881. " The Public Vaccinator, Christchurch. “Sir, —With reference to yours of Oct. 6, in reply to communication per Clerk of School Committee, with regard to your proposed visit to the school for vaccination purposes, I beg to state that I have not yet been able to consult the Committee; but, after consultation with some of the members, who confirm me in my views, it appears to me that? as you are armed, as you allege, with absolute power in the matter, there is no necessity for the Committee to take any action. Tou will be pleased, therefore, to satisfy the Head Master as to your authority to act, and intimate to him the date of your proposed visit, —I have, &0., “ Hbnsy B. Cooks, “Chairman of School Committee.” ■ •*