The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-10-27
4 Distinguished Richmond Physician
on the Vaccination Question.

4 physician whose learning and reputa-
tion are such as to give weight to whatever
he writes has sent to us the following intc-
resting communication. We commend it to
the attention Of the reader:
Editors of the Richmond Dispatch:
There appeared in the Dispatch a few
days since q brief statement, copied from
the New York Times, which was well cal
culated to excite in the minds Of the I'M
thinking and the timid prejudice against
vaccination. OF course its insertion by you
was not 50 intended; but such publications
fore. give place to a few words, by way of
antidotc to the poison, from one who
duly appreciates the boon which has been
conferred upon humanity by the introduc-
ton Of the practice of vaccination?
The statement in question relates to
Young man who is an inmate Of the Home
for lncurables at West Farms, N. Y, and
Who in childhood, "through an error on
The part Of physician" "reccived in vac
riuatlCn tbe,sffus Of that formidable disease
clcHhantiasis. in its worst FORM; in conSe-
urlGncC OF which ''he has lost both hands
and one entire foot, with 4 portion Of the
remaining one"
S'lch * the grave charge against vaccina-
ton. And who prefers it? Sigma Qor so
the publicatic is Sgncd) Now, let me ask.
what value il 10 lie attached, in question Of
this kind. to the irresponsible statements of
u0J0dY h11O1rS 1r],OS TO entitlc such q case
to any consideration whatever, it ought to
be vouchcd TO- b. o professional man COM
pctent 70 obSt "yc and appreciate the facts,
and rf unqll".'i)nahlc candor and good
know what % make of this remarkable
"c!aphantias>, - whose "virus" was COM
mmicatcd by vaccination!
But it is not my intention to occupy your
space with dis ,lSSion Of the authenticity or
| he import of this COCO. tdmit II 10 be JGue
| n all lis details, and what does it avail
against The overwhelming evidence in favor
of vaccination rs the greatest blessing which
medical science has vet conferred upon
mankind Few OF the general public have
any adequate idea Of the extent Of lis bcne-
| fits. There is = general iupre ssion That il
| has limited the iaraGce Of smallpox 10 Il
| cert in extent, LuC 10 Wh0' aHtch. no one
can form proper conception Who has nOs
| learned what ;hnsc raYa"es W@Tc in former
! times, and what mas been rt4 uiinIluhon ot
mortality from this c&u,c since ;hc PTnteC-
| tive powers of vaccination were announced
| by Jcnner IN The ycar 1898. For the benefit
! of the uniat0flned ana thC SkcptCal among
| your readers III there be any Of the latter
lass. let me adducc few plain figures.
| Il will r0i require many:
"Tonait> The clos, cf tn" eighteenth
| IcuuJury," savs Dr., Gregory. ''siu9li-pC (
continued, Notwithstanding, ever! effort tc
)e thc sor"c@ Of general terror 10 MN
! Kind" "The total deaths by
| Slnal-rr> thrcughout England were cstj-
mated a about 1900 annually" ~ the
popuimjon or iIn9L:nd was thea something
less iillr }ljnr r:tiIio}%. il follows th11 about
one 5~ -.'~Y TIE. i"'r','eT of ttc inh0b'ta1:is
| lg, '3ra .,..u.... - .rrtatl.1aT.
! u.@.... .,g H.. ,..,,T Ei..l ~ t"c lentEs
| 10, ~. ...o.. 3. s...5 .5g." "...l icli1W