PDF (Whole thesis) - UTas ePrints - University of Tasmania

.:.. . . .
288
On March 1, 1865, Hall analysed the figures : from November 2,
1863, to September 30, 1864, 6,846 persons were vaccinated. The registered
births in all Tasmania during 1864 were 3,031 .
Of these infants under
six months old, only 338 were vaccinated, all the rest of the 4,017 children
vaccinated being above the age before which the operation must be carried
out.
Here, as in England, and elsewhere, the facts prove that
voluntary action cannot be depended upon .
The steps taken by the Government were good in protecting large numbers
of children long neglected by their parents , but to prevent the recurrence
of such neglect, much more efficient measures must be enforced and the
present act amended so as to compel every chi ld to be vaccinated before
it attained the age of six months.
He then directed the attention of
the Government to the "Sixth Report of the Medical Officer to the Privy
Counci l, 186311, in which Simon traced the frequency of epidemic smallpox
and its great fatality in London to the neglect and pos tponement of
vaccination, and to the imperfection and insufficiency of its performance.
\
As there were 838 births registered in the Hobarton Registration District
in 1864 , and 461 in Launceston, he stressed the need in each city for one
permanent vaccination station to ensure an ample supply of good , reliable
lymph and the correct performance of the operation .
In Tasmania, as in England all persons , medical men, clergymen,
amateurs , druggists , old women, midwives etc. are allowed to
vaccinate in any way he or she may think proper and the persons
operated upon are considered to have been vaccinated, and when
such persons are attacked with smallpox and die, the 'blame is
given to the remedy, and not to its imperfect administration .
' 1 ,,
' . '
' •
...
'•
I
'l
l'
' '
i .;
This opinion was confirmed by the Report of the Smallpox and Vaccination
Committee of the Epidemiological Society, April 16, 1864, transmitted to
him by the President. He, therefore , called upon the Government to
repeal the old act of 1853 and bring in a new Bill based on the highly
successful Compulsory Vaccination Act for Scotland , 1863, which embraced
all the points he had mentioned, and was generally commended by the
medical profession. 13 Whyte, whom Hall described on July 28 , 1873, in
glowing terms as "so well known for his zeal and knowledge on this
subject", 14 agreed. On July 19 , 1865 , he introduced into the Legislative
Council Bill No. 18 "to extend and make compulsory the practice of
13
14
H.A.P., 1866/ 7.
Mercury, July 29 , 1873.
I
, ,
'
•.!
I
I ,