ON THE VACCINATION BILL.

5

F.—No. 8

the Registrar in each district furnish to the Police a list of children whose births are registered and whose vaccination remain unregistered. As for clause 10 of the proposed Act —if Government pay five shillings for original operation, the public will (with sufficient frequency) pay the second five shillings to induce the doctor to take the trouble to make inspection. Let a small sum be placed on the estimates for the maintenance of a few calves for the cultivation of vaccine, and let these calves be placed under some skilled Vaccinator, who shall be ready to supply applicants with this peculiar lymph when desired. 23. Mr. Kelly.] Can any person not a medical man perform the operation successfully?— It is the fixed opinion of the medical profession that the performance of the operation by a nonmedical man is most injudicious. 24. In the case of an apparently healthy child on whom vaccination has been successfully performed, but born of parents having symptoms of secondary syphilis, do you think there would be any danger of the syphilitic virus being conveyed to another child if vaccinated from it ?—lt depends on the period and manner of removal of vaccine from arm to arm. Given the conditions of a peiffectly-formed vaccine vesicle and the observance of sufficient care and knowledge, I do not think that the virus of syphilis can be communicated in such vaccine.

Dr. Grace. 11th July, 1870.

Friday, 15th July, 1870. Dr. Johnston in attendance, and examined. 25. Mr. Richmond.] Have you seen the Bill on the subject of vaccination now before the House ?—I have not. 26. What is your experience with regard to the present law ?—I know that it has not been carried out. 27. Will you explain to the Committee the reason why, in your opinion, it has not been carried out ?—I think the main reason has been that under the Act the Superintendent was to appoint Public Vaccinators, but there were no funds for the purpose, and it is hardly to be expected that persons would undertake a somewhat disagreeable task without any remuneration whatever; the consequence has been that it has not been strictly carried out. 28. It is your opinion, then, that want of money prevented the Act being strictly carried out ?—Yes. 29. Can you give the Committee any information respecting a subject which has created alarm in some parts of the Colony, viz., the alleged transmission of contagious diseases by vaccination ? —Cases of disease have been reported, but they arose from inefficient vaccination, and not from syphilis. There was one case, which is reported as having occurred some ten years ago, in which the disease arose from a child who was nursed by an unhealthy woman; some forty infants who had been vaccinated from this infant showed symptoms of disease, but in this case there must have been some blood taken with the vaccine matter, as it is impossible to transmit disease by means of pure vaccine, though if you take any blood with the vaccine matter there is a chance of disease being transmitted. 30. What do you consider the remedy ?—The copious supply of pure lymph, which might be hermetically sealed. Persons would be more ready to have their children vaccinated if pure lymph could be guaranteed. 31. Mr. Reader Wood.] If you vaccinate from cows, would you introduce some of the diseases peculiar to that animal ?—Yes ; possibly analogous diseases if the lymph were not carefully taken from the cow ; but you avoid this by taking pure lymph from the arm of the healthy child. 32. Sir David Monro.] Have you ever, in the course of your own practice, seen a case of secondary symptoms communicated by vaccination ?—Never. 33. Mr. Reader Wood.] Can a woman communicate secondary symptoms through the milk ?—No. 34. What would, in your opinion, be the best course to adopt to encourage vaccination in the sparsely settled districts ?—-To establish a central vaccination station, and to make it compulsory on people to bring their children. 35. Mr. Rolleston.] Do you think there is any foundation for the present excitement against vaccination ?—No. With pure lymph, a clean lancet, and not too long a time elapsing from the pustule being ready, there is not the least fear ; but in case the pustule is left too long, there is likely to be unpleasant symptoms. 36. Mr. Richmond.] If pure lymph can be procured, there is nothing, in your opinion, to necessitate the pustule being watched closely, is there ? —-No. Except that it would require to be seen to give the certificate. 37. Mr. Webster.] Do you think it would work well to appoint persons as vaccinators under the Act who were not professional persons, if they procured a certificate from the central medical officer, such as a gentleman on a station, who had gone through tuition on this subject ?—I think that perhaps this might work well; but it would require to be carefully guarded, so as not to open the door to every one, as it would, in case of anything going wrong, cause much outcry amongst the people. 38. Do you think then that it is necessary to have the regular medical practitioners as vaccinators ? —Yes ; if possible. 2

Dr. Johnston. 15th July, 1870.