Punch (74.1878)

Mat 25, 1878.]

237

A WORD WITH A FRIEND.

Smallpox, friend Oba-
diah, continues, worse
luck! to infest the
neighbourhood of London.

Not a nurse is admitted
into the Smallpox Hospital
unless she has been pre-
viously vaccinated, and
Smallpox has never been
caught by any such nurse.

So, Friend, tbou must see
that if the Vaccination Act
were universally enforced,
there probably would be an
end of Smallpox.

A distinguished member
of thy Society, who owns
that facts, so far as he
knows, " appear to be in
favour of Vaccination,"
nevertheless objects to the
enforcement of the Vacci-
nation Act on parents who
disobey it, by repeated fine and imprisonment. He calls the law
which subjects them to those punishments " monstrous,' and he
thinks that "it is a monstrous invasion of the rights of parents
thus repeatedly to punish them." And so, perchance, thou thinkest
likewise. ,

But suppose even that parents have the right to risk their child-
ren's lives, what right, Friend, has any parent to insist on letting his
child catch the Smallpox and infect his neighbours ? Think of that.

There is a certain mistake, Friend, which some Friends may pos-
sibly make touching Vaccination. They imagine, perhaps, that the
Vaccination Act invades liberty of conscience, as though disbelief in
Vaccination were purely a matter of opinion, and dissent from the
Faculty as legitimate as dissent from the Church. They fail to
discern the difference between a theological and a surgical opus
operatum, and think it as monstrous to impose the one upon them
as it would be to force the other. But the utility and incumbency
of a rite are points of private belief which the State has nothing to
do with. A rite enforced is a wrong. The efficacy of a preventive
process of Surgery, and the necessity of it for the public safety,
are questions which the State may be able, and bound to decide,
and legislate thereon accordingly.

The State cannot recognise Dissenters whose dissent is medical.
Nor does it permit the Peculiar People, even on religious grounds,
to allow their relatives to die for want of medical assistance, even in
cases which do not endanger other people.

Some quacks at one time kept a shop in the Strand for the sale of
pills which they said cured all diseases—except those they prevented.
Thence also they issued a publication to puff their pills, which was
actually entitled The Medical Dissenter, meaning an organ of Dis-
senters from established medical science. They pretended that those
pills, purifying the blood, were the most effectual preventives of
Smallpox. Had this pretence been true, and demonstrable, Vaccina-
tion ought to be superseded by those catholic, though Dissenters'
pills, and the State would be bound to enforce their administration.
But as it is, Medical Dissent, when dangerous, has no claim to be
tolerated.

Doubtless, Friend, a short way might be taken with the Anti-
Vaccinationists, and, as our distinguished Friend points out, adopted
in preference to repeated penalties. " If the law is right and
wise," he asks, " why does it not take the child from the arms of its
mother, and force the Vaccination upon it ? " Why? Peradventure,
Obadiah, the best answer to this question is the one Mr. Bumble,
accounting all dissent unporochial, would give—" Because the Law
is a Hass! "

Prate and Progress.

The Convocation of Canterbury has resumed its sittings, in sub-
sequence to the reopening of Parliament. On Wednesday last week
the newspapers announced that " Both Houses of Convocation
assembled yesterday at Westminster for the despatch of business."
Convocation will no doubt despatch as much business as it generally
does, and, considering the amount of progress Parliament is making,
thanks to the Obstructive Legislators in the House of Commons, we
can hardly tell whether the one or the other is likely to despatch
the least. At present they appear to vie each with each in not get-
ting on; but Parliament beats Convocation by taking more time to
do nothing. However, they seem to agree in their two principal
occupations—both murderous—the one killing time, the other, des-
patching business.

OUR OWN ACADEMY GUIDE.
Second Visit.

Begin with Gallery No. 1, and then on as best we can. Suivez mot,

sHl vous plait.

No. 15. Mrs. Bayley Worthington. By P. H. Caldebon, R.A.
Ideal Representative of a fashionable watering-place, as Hibernia
is of Ireland, and Britannia of England. Excellent idea. Admir-
able portrait. Hope Mr. Caldebon will continue the series all along
the coast, and what charming pictures he will make of Mrs. Brigh-
tonton, Hastingston, Eastbourneton, &c. All to be hung upon the
South Coast Line. The expression on this Lady's striking physio-
gnomy is suggestive of " Well, I don't think much of you." Perhaps
she is thinking of Mrs. Margateton and Mrs. Roshervilleton. Bravo,
Mr. Caldebon, you will have a splendid testimonial given you, in
the shape of all the There-and-back numbers of the London Brighton
and South Coast Railway Guide for the last ten years, handsomely
bound.

No. 21. Sandford and Merton, in fancy costume, are going out
to a ball without the permission of their revered tutor, Mr. Barlow.
Hearing his step, they run down the kitchen stairs, and hide in
the cellar. Observe the shadow, which the coming event of Mr.
Barlow descending, with a supple cane in his hand, casts on the
stone steps, and the terror depicted on the boys' countenances. A
noble work styled by the Artist, " The Princes in the Tower." By
J. E. Millais, R.A.

No. 25. Psyche. By E. M. Bcxsk. No. It is "Toe-toe chez
Tata:'

No. 36. The Pool. By A. Ragon. Well, I should not mind in
very sultry weather being in that pool, without A Pag on.

No. 44. Study of a Kashmir ee Nautch Girl. By Val. C. Peinsep.
A very Brown Study. Was she really as Nautchy as she looks f
Nautchy, but nice. And thou shalt be my Valentine !

No. 46. The Hour. By J. Pettie, R.A. Tres petite, Pettie.
But, surely, you meant " The Houri," not the " Hour," which is
the name of an extinct'newspaper. Unless you intended it for
one of " Hour Girls."

No. 48. Study of a Man's Head. By G. C. Hindley. The
man's head is fresh from the brush of Mr. Hundley, who studied
it during the process, having first sham-poo'd, and then oiled it.

No. .51. The Rev. T. Collingwood Bruce, L.L.D., F.S.A.
By R. Lehmann. This is a tribute of respect to the Church by a
Layman.

No. 53. Women Moulding Water-jars, Algeria. By Edgae
Barclay. Of course, Algeria should be written Al-Jk&-ia. Artist's
name suggestive. Bar clay, they couldn't mould the jars.

No. 59. The Marquis of Bath. By G. Richmond, R.A. Is that
the way the Markis dresses in the country ? What a shocking bad
hat!

No. 64. "Home Sweet Home." By G. D. Leslie, R.A.
Rather an affected family (affected by the music, perhaps); but
they '11 grow out of it.

No. 69. Mrs. Dearman Birchall. By Feed. G. Cotman. What
a nice name for a Schoolmistress! Tenderness combined with
severity. In this case the word suggestive of tenderness precedes
the one implying severity. The actual process is the reverse of this.
But I don't believe she would have the heart to do it, Mr. Cothan.

No. 86. Christiana, 8fc, fyc. By R. Thorburn, R.A. I thought
it was a scene near Colney Hatch. Out-door patients taking an
airing. Girl gone mad on the subject of Gainsbobough, and dressing
herself all in blue. However, Mr. Thorbcjbn says it's quite a
different subject altogether. He ought to know.

No. 96. Girl Reading. By C. E. Pert/gini. Not at all. She is
considering, " Shall I read the book, or eat this orange ? " Really,
the Artists don't know what their own pictures are about.

No. 114. Cassandra's Prophecy. By G. Pope. Oh, is it ? And
Pope ought to know, as he wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey, unless
I am very much mistaken. It is suggestive of " Walk up ! Walk
up ! Classical Entertainment inside I Poses Plastiques just a-goin'
to begin! "

No. 145. Nausicaa. By J. Leighton, R.A. Perfect. Natjsicaa
is saying coyly, "Oh, don't I Now promise you won't! I'm so
ticklish!"

No. 167. Martaba, a Kashmiree Nautch Girl. By Val. C.
Pbinsep. Here we are again! Captivating slave-very! What is
she drinking? Liebig's Beef-tea ? "Warranted for the hottest
climate," &c. If so, what a splendid advertisement picture this
would be, companion to the well-known Nabob Sauce. Or else it
would do, if labelled, " A Little Indian Pickle." Was she ?

No. 184. Mariana. By E. Bell. Very likely that was her name.
But Mabiana has evidently just returned from a party, and is
conscious of having over-danced, and taken too much lobster-salad,
and bad champagne. Mauvais quart d'heure !

No. 190. By P. H. Caldebon, R.A. Mr. Caldebon explains this