The Original Anti-Vaxxer
Summary
Host Julia Longoria explores the 1905 Supreme Court case Jacobson v. Massachusetts, where Pastor Henning Jacobson challenged a smallpox vaccine mandate, establishing the legal balance between individual liberty and public health. The episode details Jacobson’s refusal, the Court’s ruling upholding state power, and the decision’s dark legacy in the eugenics case Buck v. Bell. It examines how this century-old precedent continues to inform modern debates on bodily autonomy and government authority during health crises.
Topics discussed
Introduction: Balancing personal liberty and public health
Investigating the legacy of Pastor Henning Jacobson
Jacobson's refusal and the 1901 smallpox outbreak
Legal arguments against vaccination mandates
The Supreme Court's ruling in Jacobson v. Massachusetts
The dark legacy: Buck v. Bell and forced sterilization
Modern relevance and the balance of rights today
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