The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1869-02-20
About Vaccination.

CDR. Rowcll says vaccination has so far proved
Intellectual To- prevent the spread Of the prevailing p-
idemic. The san Francisco Medical Society takes the
opposite Uew. The smallpox spreads, because so
many neglect to be vaccinatel with fresh matter from
q true cow-pOx vesicle or scab. That a few persons
have taken the disease who supposed they had been
properly vaccinatei, is very true but in most of
these cases the operation was not of recent date, and
the virus had passed from the system. In all other
cases, we suppose the operation failed TO protect be-
cause the matter usel was not from a genuine cow
pOx vesicle, or IL hal lost its virtue by exposure to
the air. The sore produced by re-vaccination, though
with genuine virus, loes not furnish matter suitable
for use in another case, it being a poison of a differ
ent character, which affords no protection against the
smallpox, aud which IS in itself dangerous
The above appeared in the San Francisco Times
some time since. In reading over this item we
were led to believe that there were doubtless
many residing on these islands who might posi-
bly, labor under the impression that because the
first attempt at re-yaccination failed to create the
sore which should follow the operation, that their
system was protected from II former vaccination.
One instance has come under our observation
where a party had been operated on three times
before any result in the way of n sore had been
attained. The sores appeared and scabs formed
and came off within ten days, but there was no
fever or other evidences that the virus had done
its proper work. Not satisfied the party was
again vaccinated, again without result again the
operation was performed and this time the sore
appeared and matured in due time the fever was
experienced and the soreness under the arm very
sensibly felt. This result of the fifth operation
was pronounced by a physician one of the most
satisfactory Which had come under his observation
in quite an extensive practice. Another instance
of which We have been advised was the case of an
infant which had been operated on seven times
before the desired result had been arrived Mt.
The cases instanccd were vaccinatcd both from the
arm of an infant and from n scab. One succeed
ing after five operations, the other after seven.
The last scntcace in the item quoted is very
positive upon one point, that = the sore produced
by rc-yaccination, though with genuine virus.
does not furnish matter suitable for use in another
case" We are aware of parties who have been
rc-yaccinatcd from the arm of n person whose
sore was the result of re-vaccination. Instances
of sore arms, really ~frightful to look at, have
come under our observation. Possibly these were
caused 10y the improper use of virus from sores
caused 10y rc-yacciration, or perhaps were owing
to impurities of blood in the person operated on.
~ is it * yet possible that the smallpox may
make Its appearance here, il would be a wise
precaution for parties who have not experienced
the proper and regular result of re-ynccination,
To try agniu.