On Vaccination

There is a debate raging on vaccinations. There are parents who believe that their child became autistic because of vaccinations. And then there are scientists who say that there is no connection between vaccination and autism. While the debate rages on and we wait for the last word to appear on vaccinations, I can only quote Arabella Simpkins. Arabella Simpkins appears in many of William books, and whom the author describes as a red-haired, long-nosed girl, who automatically constituted herself the leader of any group of which she formed part. This particular episode is described in William and the Evacuees.

"I have been 'vacuated", said a small, foursquare child proudly. "It made my arm come up somethin' korful."
"Shut up, Georgie Parker," said Arabella. "It is a diff'rent sort of 'vacuated you have done on your arm. It's to stop you turnin' into a cow you have it done on your arm."
"Thought it was to stop you gettin' chicken pox," said Frankie, wrinkling up his snub nose in perplexity. "Someone told me it was to stop you gettin' chicken pox anyway."
"It is nothin' to do with chickens," snapped Arabella. "It's cows. Everyone what's not 'vacuated on their arms turns into cows. Half the cows you see in fields is people what weren't 'vacuated on their arms."