Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1869-01-02
Danger from Impure Vaccine Virus.

Danger from Impure Vaccine Virus.
The Pacific Medical and Surgical Jour.
nal for November contains an article upon
this subject which may be Of interest to
sonie Of OUR readers, who have suffered by
inflammation from vaccination. As it also
contains valuable hints in regard to this
important matter, we readily give it place
in our columns:
During the present variolous epidemic,
a number of persons have suffered severely
from extensive inflammation of the arm,
with sloughing in some instances, consc.
qucnt on vaccination. 1t is told on the
street that one individual lost an arm from
this cause amputation having been deemed
necessary. The popular inference is that
the virus employed was contaminated with
the poison Of some other disease;s and
physicians are called on to avoid risk by
taking the matter directly from the COW.
That vaccine matter may be impure, and
may generate disease. is admitted; but We
regard such results as rare. In all proba-
bility, the eases reported are not Of this
kind, but owe their severity to tho cond-
ton of the patient aud not to the quality Of
the virus. The same epidemic influence
which enables smallpox to break through
its ordinary limits aud assume severe and
malignant type, affects alike the character
Of the kine-rOck and renders it in many
cases severe and even malignant. Within
the range Of our observation, large por-
ton of the adults who have been rc-vaccin.
ated lately, suffered more pain and inaam-
nation Of the arm than belonged to genu-
inc vaccine disease. For the first week
the vaccination pursues the course of the
genuine cow.pock; but after that, erysipe.
latous inflammation invades the arm, and
fever often supcrvencs. Persons are aftcn
prevented from using the arm for several
days. This occurs when, the virus en-
ployed is known to be pure. So, the
scratch ola pin will induce serious results,
when the individual, from some hidden
cause, is in condition incapable Of re-
sisting injury.
After the experience ola lifetime, We
nave more confidence in the lympho or the
crust from the arm Of healthy child, which
has passed through the genuine stages Of
perfect variola vaccina, under our own oh.
servation, than we have in the virus from
any other source whatever. We have no
belief in the deterioration Of the cow.pock
by transmission. The description given by
Jenncr still applies perfectly. In fact,
the vaccine vesiclc, in its course from stage
to stage, is a striking and really beautiful
phenomenon, not to be mistaken for any.
thing else. If care be taken to produce
matter from healthy child. having the af.
lection for the first time, and in whom it
has passed through the several stages in a
regular manner, our conviction is that
nothing better can be done in the prem
Uses.
There is another mode of poisoning by
vaccine virus which is worthy of mention.
When the crust is mixed with water and
kept on hand for use, as is sometimes done,
it soon decomposcs, and develops an active
poison. We have seen violent infamma.
ton and sloughing produced in this way.
Tho moral is-do not use vaccine virus
after it has been mixed for all hour or two.