638 Tr ansae tions . — Miscellaneo us . 



oppressive febrile disturbance : at least, this is the case at the 

 time of epidemics, when revaccination is most practised. 



Post-vaccinal eruptions are so very common amongst the 

 children of the poorer classes in England that they form one 

 of the stock arguments against vaccination. 



The inoculation of constitutional diseases w&edi to be laughed 

 to scorn in my younger days. It was said in my hearing by 

 Sir John Simon, K.C.B., then Mr. Simon, the Medical Officer 

 of the Privy Council, that no such inoculation could take place 

 without gross carelessness or unskilfulness on the part of the 

 vaccinator. I used to be of the same opinion ; but a case I saw 

 some sixteen or seventeen years ago convinced me that an 

 infant might look perfectly healthy, and yet be the subject of 

 unmistakable hereditary syphilis. The evidence that syphilis 

 has been communicated by vaccination is simply overwhelm- 

 ing. I may refer to the report of the Committee of the House 

 of Commons on Compulsory Vaccination ; the Third Eeport of 

 the Royal Commission on Vaccination now sitting in London ; 

 the work of Mr. Jonathan Hutchinson, F.E.S., late President 

 of the Eoyal College of Surgeons of England, on syphilis, in 

 which he devotes a chapter to the description of vaccinal 

 syphilis ; and my own experience in this colony and elsewhere. 

 I have seen three cases in this colony alone. 



The inoculation of leprosy by means of vaccination is now 

 exciting much attention. It will form one of the subjects 

 which the Commission of Inquiry sent out to India by the Na- 

 tional Leprosy Committee will have to investigate. My friend 

 Mr. William Tebb, whose arduous and disinterested labours 

 for many years as Chairman of the Executive Council of the 

 Anti-Compulsory Vaccination League must excite the admira- 

 tion even of his opponents, has literally circumnavigated the 

 globe in his search after evidence on this point. The alarm- 

 ing spread of leprosy of late years contemporaneously with the 

 extensive diffusion of vaccination must cause thoughtful men 

 to consider the question very seriously. When I was examined 

 before the Committee of the House of Commons I gave evi- 

 dence to this effect."^' 



On my return to Trinidad I had to encounter an epidemic 

 of small-pox which spurred us on to vaccinate right and left, 

 and to revaccinate all who would submit to the operation. 

 But so firmly fixed was the belief of the people that vaccina- 

 tion from a child of a leprous family would be a possible cause 

 of the vaccinated person becoming leprous, that not even the 

 fear of such a terrible epidemic of small-pox as was then 

 going on would induce them to allow themselves or their 



* Vide Report of the Committee of the House of Commons on Com- 

 pulsory Vaccination, Answers 3563, 3564, pp. 207, 208. 



