Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-02-21
RICHMOND, FEBRUARY 81. 1909

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RICHMOND, FEBRUARY 81, 1899.
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The confidence oi the public being somewhat unfortu
naiey shaken in the virtues Vaccination we seize the
opportunity Of laying L.foe an original essay
from the pen Of one OF physcianswho has had
experience on the subject than any person in Virginia
TO The Editors Of The Enquirer.
SMALL POX AND VACCINATION
| Every friend 10 vaccination must regret. that
since 1t was first introduced into our country.
the only circumstance which has trapspirrd.
calculated IN the least degree to weaken the
universal confidence rcposed i'm its eificacy. ms
preventive 10 the ravages of small poy. is
the very unexpected, extraordinary, and un-
guarded letter of James Smith, the United
States agent, addressed to the people of the
United States. Our regret must increase.
when we bear in mind that the first blow
aimed, IN public manner, ut this heavens
pest gut to man;" has been made by one, who
heretofore has been one Of its warmcst sun
porters, entrusted also by his government
with the high and responsible duty of placing
IN the power Of all its citizens, to avail them
selves OF its benefits. Associated, in II man.
ner, with this gentleman, is DIR. Davidge, one
OIL the professors in the university Of Balt-
more. III DIR. Smith expects TO add any
weight To the assertions lie has made, by
publishing to the world the concdent opinion
OF medical professor, lie will be disap-
pointed. But, happy is it for the cause of
science, happy for humanity, such assertions,
when arrayed in opposition to tie opinions of
suen men as the iar-famcd DR.. Jennrr, the
celebrated, and highly Distinguished Sir Gill
bert Blame, Thompson, and a host of others
III India, Europe, and both the Americas. are.
emitted to no consideration whatever. II is
scarcely necessary for me 10 inform the reader
ihat the discovery of vaccination was promuI-
| gated to the world, by DIR. Jenncr. in the year
'93. From that time TO the present. If has
gained ground, and continues to be introduced
INTO every country where the light of science
mas penetrated In India, it has gained a de-
ciued triumph over Ignorance and supersti-
Ton and we find the tiniid Hindoo no longer
restrained by the prejudices of education.
apandHns the hope of arresting the progress
OF small pox, by exposing his relatives on th,.
banks of the Ganses Sir Gilbert Blame. in ;,
valuable paper, entitled, g a statement of facts
tending to establish an estimate OF the true
! vaihe ana present state of vaccination" pub.
lisiied IN vol X of the Medical Chirurgical
transactions, observes, Ii is now matter Of
'rleiraSable historical evidence, that vaccina;
t'on possesses powers adequate To the great
end proposed by its meritorious ,iiscover,r. in
ms iirsf PRONUNCIATION Of it in 1898. namely.
the total extlrpation of small pox" In mole
To the same paper, he remarks: (" I'm the wear
1871, called on Don Francisco SaIazar. a d.
puty from Lima to the Spanish Corics, then
IN London, on his way to CadiZ. He inform
ed me that vaccination had been practiced
with so much success and energy i'm Lima
that for the last twelve months, there had oc-
CURED not only no death from, but no case O f
small poX; that the new horn children of all
ranks are carried as regularly to the vaccin-
ai'nS house, as to the fOunt of baptism; that
the small poX is entirely extlngushed all over
Peru; nearly so in Chill and that there has
heen no compulsory interference, on the part
OF the government, To promote vaccination" In
letter to DIR. .enner, 9Th vol. p. 500, of the
Eciectic Repertory, addressed 10 frie I'd who
had enquired OF him his present sentiments
Icia'Ne 10 the preventive powers of VAGINA
uon' twenty-tour years after he had first pro-
muigated IT, we find that distinguished man
expressing himself in the following manner:
" II IS a curious and most delightful fact. that
"h'e Tue d'spufations You aIlude to are here
anu mere gong on among individuals. with
regard 10 the efficacy of vaccinations the small
poX is flying before it in all directions. y
Again, he observes: " Wherever yaccin,,;o,
has been universally practised, there the small;
poX ceases to exist. There is scarcely any part
OF the civilized world that cannot bear testi-
nony to the truth Of this position' He then
goes on TO state its success in various paris OF
lndE, South America, England, and Sweden
ile concludes by observing, that he is not at all
surprised, that both in his own country. and
other parts of the world, partial preindice
should now and then be raised against IT. He
then assigns his reasons for this opinion. which
shall be noticed before conclud.
90 mhch Tor The opinion at present enter
famed by the most distinguished physicians
IN Europe, relative TO the preventive powers of
vaccinations The people of this country re-
posed IN vaccination the same confidence.
winch never would have been shaken. hut for
The letter of the U. S. Vaccine Agent. above
alluded TO. | shall now proceed to notice
some OF the effects produced, and opinions
advanced IN that extraordinary commnnica-
tipn. III appears that in November last, Dir.
oiniih forwarded to DIR. Ward, of Tarbo-
rough, North Carolina, some matter for the
vaccine but which, instead of producing thai
disease, produced the true small pox. So
soon as DR.. Smith was Informed of this fact |
anu knowing also the CONSERVATION it Dro |
uuced feeling, no doubt, conscious that Inc
would he severely ccnsured; unable, at first. TO
dss'6na satisfactory reason; anxious only TO re- |
move from himself the odium which manv
would feeldisposed TO heap on him-he addres
sea long letter TO the people of the United |
states 10 which, unable to assign the true
cause of his fatal mistake, he endeavors to |
account for it, in IA manner at once calculated
TO destroy all confidence whatever in the pro- |
Phylactic powers Of vaccination. He states |
~ MS 20 head, that the genuine kline peck is, |
ID nsell, SO nearly allied to the small pox, that
when this plague becomes epidemic in anv
place, 1t intcrmixcs with the vaccine. bv
natural and unavoidable process. and in a man
ner mat may possibly clude the utmost care
and Vigilance Of any persnn 10 nrnvcnt II .