Document information
Physical location:
Ann Tovell Collection, file no. 1261, Brownless Medical Library, University of Melbourne. 66.05.14Preferred Citation:
Ferdinand von Mueller to John Blair, 1866-05-14. R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora, J.H. Voigt and Monika Wells (eds), Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, <https://vmcp.rbg.vic.gov.au/id//letters/1860-9/1866/66-05-14-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026
I saw, dear Dr Blair, last night Dr Wilkie & explained to our friend the four points
on which objection was taken.
1
A special meeting of the Medical Society of Victoria was held on Monday 14 May 1866,
'called for the purpose of taking into consideration certain clauses in the Health
Act then before Parliament…. The clauses were the making vaccination compulsory within
three months from the birth, making it obligatory upon the vaccinator to transmit,
under a penalty of two pounds, a duplicate of the certificate of vaccination, to the
registrar, and reintroducing, in connexion with the division on quarantine, the clause
enforcing quarantine in private houses, and excluding the regular medical attendant'.
A deputation was appointed to wait upon the Attorney General, 'who courteously expressed
his regret that the objectionable clauses had been reintroduced, and gave an assurance
that they should be struck out'. See Australian medical journal, vol. 11, 1866, pp. 183-4. Dr David Wilkie was a member of Victoria's Legislative
Council at the time.
With friendly regards
Your
Ferd. Mueller