Accession No

6218

Brief Description

handbill, by Nottingham Anti-Compulsory Vaccination Society, English, c. 1900

Origin

England; Nottingham

Maker

Nottingham Anti-Compulsory Vaccination Society [publisher] Kilborn, R. [printer]

Class

ephemera; medical

Earliest Date

1889

Latest Date

1901

Inscription Date

Material

Paper

Dimensions

width 140mm; length 220mm

Special Collection

Provenance

Inscription

“Board of Guardians
ELECTION.

ELECTORS
VOTE ONLY
For those candidates who will pledge themselves
NOT TO PROSECUTE
Under the Vaccination Acts, and thus
SECURE YOUR FREEDOM
To use your own judgement in this matter, and not be
compelled against your will to have your children
DISEASED BY BLOOD POISONING,
Or have to pay because you have a conscience and love
your children.
After 55 years of Voluntary Vaccination and 20 years
Compulsory Vaccination (over 70 years in all), we had
the most severe Epidemic of Small Pox ever known.

Other horrible Diseases increased to an alarming extent
by transmission in Vaccination.

Printed by R. Kilborn, Hollow Stone, and published by the Nottingham Branch [b?] [L]ondon Society for the Abolition of Compulsory Vaccination.” [front of handbill]

Transcription of reverse:

Nottingham Anti-Compulsory Vaccination Society
Forthcoming Election of Poor Law Guardians

BEWARE OF VACCINATION!

It fails entirely in its promised protection against Smallpox. IN the old London Smallpox Hospital, from 1852 to 1867, there were 13,670 cases of Smallpox, of which 10,671 WERE VACCINATED. Vaccination Reports, ‘71 Q. 4, 108 to 12.
In the Hospitals of the London Asylums Board, 1891-86, there were 53,579 cases admitted, of which 41,061 WERE VACCINATED.
In the Ashley Downs Orphan Asylum, Bristol, in 1870-72, 293 orphans were attacked, all of whom WHERE [sic] VACCINATED.
In the Sheffield Epidemic of 1887, 243 died who were confessedly vaccinated. Yet in this town the public vaccinator has received the highest awards in bonuses for superior Vaccination.
Vaccination is a foul disease in itself, of uncertain origin. It may be Smallpox. It may be Cowpox. It may be Horse Grease (all of them filth diseases). It may be infected with Syphilis, Consumption, Diptheria, Leprosy, or any other inoculable disease, or it may be a mixture of all these diseases your child may be vaccinated with.
Dr. Hutchinson says: “It is impossible for the most careful and experienced doctor always to tell when Syphilis is present.” Think of it . Since Compulsory Vaccination has been enforced, the death rate of infants in England and Wales, under one year of age from Syphilis has more than doubled. ‘THE WAGES OF SANITARY SIN IS DEATH.’ As ye sow, so shall ye reap.”
Do not be misled by the cry, ‘pure lymph’.
The Examiner of Lymph for the Local Government Board admits he does not know pure lymph from impure lymph. That he cannot tell whether lymph is tainted with Syphilis, Leprosy, or any other disease, and that, during the whole twenty years since his appointment, his attention has not once been directed to that object — (See 2nd Report, Royal Commission on Vaccination, p.135–136. Answer to Question 4,673). Recently Mrs. Lydia Cook, at Southend, was fined £1 3s 6d., including costs. because she would not permit the doctor to take lymph from her consumptive child. Sixpence a tube is paid for approved lymph. And this is how the Local Government Board and doctors guarantee pure lymph.
Be not deluded with the assertion that Vaccination wears out, and that you will be quite safe if re-vaccinated at 12 or 14 years of age. In the notorious Sheffield epidemic of 1887, 456 of the cases among the vaccinated occurred under 10 years of age. The Compulsory Vaccination Acts confer on the Medical Profession an endowment of about £100,000 a year from the Poor Rate; during the years 1840 to 1889 the Medical Profession received £3,156,146 12s 8d. from the Poor Rate, and during the years 1868 to 1889 £280,577 11s. 8d. from the Local Government Board by way of bonus for doing the work well; therefore it has a strong pecuniary interest, sufficient to blind the profession of any defects.
Meetings of the Society are held the second Wednesday in the month, at the Vegetarian Restaurant, 20, St. James’ Street, at 8pm.

BEWARE OF VACCINATION! [written sideways along both sides of the reverse]

Description Notes

Handbill produced by the Nottingham Anti-Compulsory Vaccination Society; English; c.1887

Single sheet handbill approx A5 size, aiming to persuade voters in the forthcoming Board of Guardians election to vote for candidates who will not prosecute under the Vaccination Acts.

Condition fair. Paper is yellowing and brittle. Bottom left and right corners are missing and bottom edge is ragged. Closed tears and creasing vertically across middle of page as a result of previous folding. Closed tear on right hand side extending across middle of document.

References

Events