The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-03-03
: About the Small Pex.
Ann SOME CONSIDERATIONS ON THE SUBJECT OF
vAccINAriox.

| AMI SOAE Gun NSIDEhATIONs ON IffE SHBSESI VI
VACCINATION.
Ii'gm3 aiF- from the Loui.vill. Journal
The severe prevalence Of small pox and
varioloid disease in various parts ofthe coun-
try has caused no. small degree Of .astonish.
ment and excitement among the people.
In the estimation Of many persons there are
very grave doubts as to the value of Jenner''s
discovery of the protective power Of vacci-
nation from every form of variolous disease.
They :efer to the increasing prevalence Of
small pox, and its rather extensive invasion
among lvaccinsted people. as testimonies
thatt the world is rapidly lapsing again to-
ward that perilcus condition from which
Jenner's discovery seemed to rescue it.
People ask the pregnant question, why is it
that vaccination is no longer as protective as
when. first discovered Others. who know
something on the subject, rush forward with
these propositions: The vaccine matter now
used has lost the strength it possessed in Jen-
ner's day. Secondly, we must go back to
the cow, and renew the energy of the vac
cine virus by obtaining II from its original
source. This Is tbs sum total and, indeed,
the substance of European reasoning on the
subject A vast amount of material Of this
kind is annually wasted in England. France
and Germany ON these crude, unteaable and
wild vagaries We have not seen in English,
French, or German medical literature Of the
past twenty years even glimpse Of philo-
sophical truth on anv Of these points. The
verv terms in which the bewildered uncer-
tainties we have quoted are expressed are in
themselves clear demonstration that the
blind guides to whom we refer have fallen
into ditch in which they continue to grope
In orfler TO guard the popular mind from
grievous errors on any part Of this most inn
portant snhject, we present a very simple
rule, it is this. Nothing can be true in ,ela
ton to vaccination that does not embrace all
the absolute facts that are known respect
| ing vaccination. For example When that
| absurd. pernicious error. revaccination con.
| menced its career. the French Academy Of
Medical Science discussed the subject thor
| oughly as the members supposed OF the
yalue Of the discussion. some idea may be
formed from the fact that all the members
were ignorant Of the foundations Of .Jener's
discovery. M Serres, one Of the most dis.
sinsuished Of the French medical authori-
| tias, very cody and grvely stated that
Jenner was ignorant Of one fact, now well
known, that persons could have small pox
more than onco. The argument was, that, if
Jenner had known this liability to more than
one attack of small pox, he would have re-
commended re-vaccination. Mr. Serres had
not, Of course, read Jenners publication of
his discovery, for this liability to more than
one attack Of small pox was conspicuous
feature of the doctrine he tsught. Jenner
stated in his pamphlet the case of surgical
friend he was in the habit Of meeting In oon.
sultation in Gloucsstershire, who was attack
ed with small .pox every time he atteDd.d
cases Of the disease. Jenner therefore, did
know, what had been well known orsnearly
one thousand years, that persons are, liable
to repeated attacks of the small pox, and il
is most important for rs to know. and to
rest 'on the fact that he knsm entirely too
mnch on the spiies5 to SILLY his purs phi,oso
ply nth as 6attfal an error as the doctrine
Of re caccination. Jenner's great and ever
living doctrine-for it is as true and vitaito
day as 1t was when he first uttered its,
that vacciRation is better protection
against small pox than small pox itself. Not
one fact has ever occurred to shake, in the
least degree. this invaluable truth. le %.
We purpose now to examine some Of the
vagaries we have noticed and 10 apply tho
touch stone Of facts to them and to .he whole
subject Of vaccination, in order that the
min Is Of the people may be instructed on
this vital theme II Is In the powey. per.
feetiy in the power of the Legislature Of
Kentucky tobanish entirely small pox from
the Commonwealth and to prevent IT from
ever showing itse'fn Kentucky again. The
remaining davs of the present session are
but few, but, If the members wish to make
durable monument of legislative wisdom
by laying the foundation Of perpetual i'm
rnnnity Of the people Of Kentucky from
small pbx visitation. let them devise judici-
Gus Legislation on this subject.
That is an utterly false idea which saws
that vaccine matter has weakened BY the
lapse If time since Jenner's day. The mat
ter no,o in use protects the large majority Of
the people 70 day as perfectly as oaciine mat
ter did In the days Of Jsnaer. Every mans
daily observation shows this statement to be
true What other protection from small pox
have thousands Of people in this city than
vaccinations Those thousands are as safe
now, and viii remain SO to the end Of their
lives, as any Of the persons who were vac.
einatsd originally Asiong as the present
vaccine matter makes true Jennerian ves-
icle, II proves itself to be as good as any
used by Jenner, for his best matter never
did anything more than to make . true
Jennerian vesicle. and every such vesicle is
a perpetual safeguard against the possibility
Of variolous disease.
Those wiseacres who talk of going back
to the COW to improve the present vaccine
material show most objectionable igno-
rance. The world is In full possession Of
better vaccine matter than the COW eyer fur.