§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ MR. BARROWsaid, he would suggest that, as the Bill was delivered to hon. Members only yesterday and involved principles of great importance, upon which the country should have an opportunity of expressing its opinion, the Motion for the second reading should be postponed till after Easter.
§ MR. MICHELLsaid, he considered the Bill as one for legalising murder, and hoped it would be withdrawn altogether. He was prepared to prove that since the introduction of vaccination small-pox had increased rather than diminished. The reason was, that formerly people avoided the disease, whereas now, thinking themselves secure, they unhesitatingly entered places where they could hardly fail to be infected. At one time all weak children were thrown into the Ganges, and in other parts of the world the maimed were suffocated. Vaccination Bills served the same purpose in another way. Their object was to legalise the murder of a certain number of persons in order to save the lives of the rest of the community.
MR. COWPERsaid that, as hon. Members had not had an opportunity of considering the Bill, he would not object to the proposal to postpone it till after the recess. When the time came for the second reading, he thought he should be able satisfactorily to answer the statements of the last speaker.
§ Second reading deferred till Monday, 31st March.