The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-08-07
From the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Vacclnation-Ths Value OF the Discovery.

Some valuable information in relation to vaccination
given in the last number OF the "Amercan Journal OF
the Medical Sciences" The lectures OF DR.. Guy are
quoted and important statistics furnished by way OF
illustration For the ten years ending ITO, before noc
ulation the deaths from small. in million OF IN
habitants amounted to 81 ,4l6 For ten years ending
l749, during which incubation was partially pracsed.
deaths by the disease amounted to 2s,2s2 For the
years ending 1892 incubation being in general use,
the deaths in Million by the same disease, amounted TO
20 s63 For The ten ending 1Sl9 vaccination being
in general use, the deaths by small pox million OF in
habtants were reduced TO s45 For the ten years end
ing 1s40, during which incubation WAS superseded by
vaccination the d. ahs in million by the same disease
reduced Abs The value OF vaccination is thus
made to appear in the strongest light According Mr..
Farr from l77 1850, less than five in 900 died
annually from smallpox; while in 1901 to 1910 the NOR
tally sank to and in 1881 10 1885 10 less than
in 1000. DR.. Guy says
That incubation may really have been the Of
saving life extent does not altogether i'm
probable, when we bear in mind that place OF the mortal
ty of in four, which attended the email pox caught
in the usual way the loss under inoculaon when skill.
uy and carefully pac sed, did not exceed in 500
So that is quite possible that the mischief which moe
uation wrought by spreading the disease among those
who might never have caught the natural smallpox
counteracl.d by the good effected in reducing the
danger TO very insignificant amount But, even admit
ting the justice OF this compensation, the benefit really
due TO incubation does not exceed the saving of
900 lives in 1880 whereas the boon conferred by
vaccination is represented by reduction of the moal
y from nearly $4,000 IN The ten years ending 1899 he
very hryday OF nocuison) to s.oo0 and then to less
than 5.OOo-bens eaving Of life more than twice As
reai As that effected ny InoculatIon.
But the superiority OF vaccination over incubation
is only partially and impefecy represented by the greater
saving OF lite which it effects has the great additional
OF requiring preparation confinement, of pro-
ducing very trAng ndi-poson, and OF entang dan
ger Above ALL II is free from the great objection 10 in
oculaon-that while the latter mgaes the disease in
the individual il brings the infection home 10 those who
may happen 10 be unprotected, and who might never
have been exposed TO the conason OF the natural small
pox"
According 10 Dr. Jennsr. from the year l762 1872,
the number that died OF sms-p in the Danish domln-
ions amounted TO 9,72s About the year 1902. VAGINA
lion FIRST introduced, and the pracce became general,
universal however fifty eight persons only died
OF the small pox 10 the year 1910 Vaccination, by
ma nd of the King, universally adopted and small
poY incubation prohibited And IRON the year is 10 10
the year 1919 not single OF small pox occurred.
He ids that the relative value OF vaccination and nocu-
aton and the proportional risk OF the protected and
protected will be best by supposIng $4,000 unpro-
ected nocuated, and vaccnaied persons, respectively
to be exposed 10 the danger OF catching small pox The
results regards these several parties, shown in the
annexed table: