I have ascertained that the measure is likely to meet with great opposition on both sides of the House; and it is, therefore, very doubtful whether it could be carried at this late period of the session. Moreover, some of its provisions require further and careful consideration.
The bill was framed and promoted by the Poor Law Board, independently of Liberals and Conservatives, the problem of the medical officials being, “How far is it possible to obtain the assent of Parliament to what we consider desirable.” There were limits to parliamentary complaisance, however wide, and, informed by the experience of 1866, a revised bill was introduced to the House of Commons by Lord Robert Montagu in 1867, who, like his predecessors, reproduced the instructions of his advisers with sufficient flavour to pass them off as his own. A portion of his business was to obtain recognition for the payment of extra fees for successful vaccination—
When an Inspector reports that certain Vaccinations are of the 1st class, the Public Vaccinator will receive 1s. over and above the sum paid by the Guardians for each Vaccination he has performed. If the Vaccinations are reported of the 2nd class, he will receive 8d. For 3rd class Vaccinations nothing in excess of the Guardians’ contract fee will be paid.
This graduation of vaccination excited no comment though why aught save first-class should have been accounted tolerable, or paid for, was far from obvious. The possible amount chargeable for these awards was thus estimated—
The ratio of children born to the population is about 3½ per cent., which gives 700,000 a year for the population of 20 millions. Reckoning that four-fifths of these children, or 560,000, are vaccinated gratuitously during the year, the expenditure will be £28,000 if all the Vaccinations are 1st class, and £18,500 if 2nd class. Shall we, then, think it too much if, for a sum between £18,500 and £28,000 we ensure that there shall never occur a case of smallpox, and that we save 7,000 lives a year?
Such was the argument put into the mouth of Lord Robert Montagu for the persuasion of Parliament! Only pay an extra price for first and second class vaccination, and not a case of smallpox shall occur in England, and 7,000 lives a year shall be saved! When we inquire where the 7,000 lives a year were lost, we discover how boldly the credulity of Parliament was imposed upon. There died of smallpox in England and Wales—
| In 1861 | 1,320 | In 1864 | 7,684 |
| 1862 | 1,628 | 1865 | 6,411 |
| 1863 | 5,964 | 1866 | 2,977 |
Where, then, were the 7,000 lives to save? In 1864 the mortality exceeded 7,000; but to select an extreme year and represent it as ordinary would have incurred a sharp epithet if practised in finance instead of smallpox.
A similar fable of salvation from smallpox was related by Lord Robert Montagu concerning Scotland. He said—
It is wiser to save people’s lives than to consult their prejudices. The example of Scotland shows the value of a thorough-going Vaccination Act. The measure for that country has reduced the smallpox death-rate from 2,000 to 120 per annum.