VACCINATION IN THE POST OFFICE.
A young man seeks a situation in the Post Office. He furnishes evidence of an irreproachable character, is in the enjoyment of excellent health, passes the preliminary examination with credit, and is in all respects well equipped for the position for which he has applied. There is, however, one further qualification of which he is reminded by the medical officer of the Department—he must be vaccinated. The following letter from the General Post Office furnishes official proof of this requirement :
GENERAL POST OFFICE, LONDON, "15th September, 1882.
"SIR,—I beg leave to inform you that it is necessary that all candidates for appointment in this Department should be successfully vaccinated, unless previously vaccinated within seven years, or unless they have had the small-pox within the same period.*
*"Your obedient servant, (Signed)"S. A. BLACKWOOD, Secretary. *On the 28th of March a petition for the Repeal of the Compulsory vaccination Laws was received by Mr. YOUNG, 114, Victoria Street, signed by 235 employes of the Post Office in South London, the whole of the signatures having been obtained in three days, which indicates how this medical rite is regarded amongst this useful class of civil servants.
And a similar regulation is in force at Her Majesty’s Customs. At the Inland Revenue Department, Somerset House, the advantages of compulsory re-vaccination are reserved for the inferior and junior servants of a particular department, as will be seen from the following communication:--
"INLAND REEVENUE, SOMERSET HOUSE, LONDON, W.C.
"February 2nd, 1883.
"SIR,—Referring to your letter of the 26th ultimo, I have to acquaint you that
there are no printed or written regulations on the subject ‘of the Vaccination of the
employes of this office. For many years past, however, it has been the practice whenever a
stamping room boy cannot produce direct testimony of recent Vaccination, to cause
him to undergo that operation, which is performed by the Board’s medical officer.
"I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
"F. S.
ROBINSON."
Surely the older servants and chiefs of the Department have more need of a renewal of the prophylactic than the "stamping boys," whose vaccination, it may be presumed, is of comparatively recent date!
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