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American manufacturer and anti–vaccination advocate (1854–1929) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Charles Michael Higgins (October 4, 1854 – October 21, 1929)[3] was an Irish-American ink manufacturer and anti-vaccinationist.
Higgins was born in County Leitrim, Ireland.[1] He moved to Brooklyn at the age of six. Higgins was the inventor of Higgins American India Ink.[1] He operated the Charles M. Higgins Company to manufacture the drawing ink he invented.[1]
Higgins married Alexandra Fransioli in 1899 and they had three children.[1] He was a founding member of the Kings County Historical Society.[1] He opposed vaccination and was also an anti-vivisectionist.[4]
Higgins was the co-founder and treasurer of the Anti-Vaccination League of America. The League was created in 1908 by Higgins and industrialist John Pitcairn.[5] Its anti-vaccination campaigns focused on New York and Pennsylvania.[5] Members were opposed to compulsory vaccination laws.[6] Higgins was the League's chief spokesman and pamphleteer.[7] Historian James Colgrove noted that Higgins "attempted to overturn the New York State's law mandating vaccination of students in public schools."[6] The League should not be confused with the Anti-Vaccination Society of America, that was formed in 1879.[5]
Higgins was criticized by medical experts for spreading misinformation and ignoring facts as to the efficacy of vaccination.[8][9] The League dissolved after the death of Higgins in 1929.[10]
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