In Nutting v. Massachusetts, 1901, the U.S Supreme Court upheld a state law that required vaccination against smallpox during an epidemic. The appellant, Henning Jacobson, was a Swedish immigrant who refused to get vaccinated due to his belief that he and his son had adverse reactions to previous vaccinations in Sweden. He argued that compulsory vaccination violated his Fourteenth Amendment rights of liberty and personal autonomy. However, the court ruled in favor of Massachusetts stating public health took precedence over individual liberties under its police powers doctrine - which allows states to regulate behavior for the common good including public health safety measures such as mandatory vaccinations during epidemics.

In the dissenting opinion for Nutting v. Massachusetts, it was argued that the state law requiring vaccination against smallpox infringed upon personal liberty and was therefore unconstitutional. The justice contended that while states have a right to enact laws for public health and safety, this power is not absolute and should be balanced with individual rights. He asserted that mandatory vaccinations could potentially lead to other invasive medical procedures being imposed on citizens without their consent. Furthermore, he questioned whether vaccines were truly effective in preventing disease or if they posed more harm than good due to potential side effects. This perspective emphasized respect for personal autonomy over collective welfare measures enforced by the state.