Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-04-14

the protective Influence of vaccination, "
Simon gives affirmative answers from $40.
out of 542 Of whom inquiry vas made,
distinguished British and foreign medical
men. Overwhelming facts confirm opin-
ions. Through the effect of vaccination
mortality from smallpox has decreased
more than ten fold in nearly all civilized
countries. In Sweden the mortality from
smallpox was annually 1850 out ofevery
million of inhabitants; from 1910 to 1850
after the introduction of vaccination, 1t
averaged only I5S. In w esphalia the
decrease was from 2,643 to IA, in Bohe-
mia, Moravia and Austrian Silesia, from
1000 to 200; In Copenhagen, from g.
l28 to 1873; in Berlin from 3 ,422 to 176;
in England and Wales, from 3, 600 to III.
Whole columns Of well established facts
of this kind might be copied. In fact
nobody with knowledge and brains en-
ough to entitle him to respect doubts the
proposition.
Even with the prevailing defective
methods Of vaccination, two-thirdS are en-
tirely prevented from smallpox, and the
other third are to very great extent
shielded from its seFerer effects. Mr.
MarsoD, during service Of thirty years in
the great smallpox hospital of London,
has had Is, 900 cases under his personal
care. Of these, thirty seven in hundred
of the unvacciuated cases died, while only
8 IL per cent. of the vaccinate1 died.
A trile over IL per cent. Of those having
four or more vaccine eicatrices died. The
great Jenner was probably right when,,he
said that efficient ccination-efficient in
quantity and quantity-"Will protect the
constitution from subsequent attacks Of
Of small pox as much as that disease itself
will A certain number (about one per
cent? will have the small pox second
time, and the mortality among such is
mach greater than among the efficiently
Vaccinated-n nineteen in 0ve hundred Of
such cases under Marson's care having
died
REvAcoINATIoN This subjec. is now
under discussion and experimentation, es
pecially in France and Germany We
have too little space TO discuss the matter
The wisest heads in especial charge of the
matter agree that revaccInation should be
performed at puberty, at the age of four
teen or fifteen, as an additional safeguard
DANGERS OF REvAccINATIoN.-M
Paget, one Of the greatest names in sur
glcal literature, has summed up the whole
matter: NOW, vaccination may do,
though [ believe it vary rarely does, what
these several accidents may do; namely.
by disturbing for time the general
health, it may give opportunity for the
external manifestation and complete eYo-
luton of some constitutional affection,
which, but for it, might have remained
still longer latent" Mr.. Marson, in vac
cinating more than $4,000, "has never
seen other diseases communicated with the
vaccine disease, or does he believe in the
popular reports that they are so conmu-
nicated." 1t Is settled point that lymph
from true Udccine vesicle, whatever dis
ease the person on whom it is may have,
will convey only vaccine disease. A
laundering ignoramus may, while ASSUMING
to vacclnate, inoculate a horrid disease
with matter from syphilitic sore that
no properly educated physician would
ever mistake for vaccine veslcle. The
same disease may be conveyed by syphi-
lite blood, carelessly taken from the base
OF a true vaccine vessicle. No profession
must be held responsible for the misd eeds
Of fools and knaves who assume it's livery.
O. w. WIGHT. M. D.