The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1872-01-31

amount of uncertainty prevails, is as
to whether syphilis and other, diseases
can be conveyed by vaccination. Mr.
Hutchinson has lately brought forward
series of cases to prove that syphilis Is ca
pable Of being 30 conveyed; and to say the
least, they certainly appear to wear very
suspicious aspect. Still, it must be remem-
bered that in 1857 Mr.. simon, (Medical Off,
Ger of the Board of Health addressed se-
ries OF questions on. this very subject TO Q
large number of medical men, both In this
and other countries, and received answers
from no less than $50, with scarcely an ex-
ception, entirely in the negative. They de-
clared that syphilis could not be conveyed
by means OF true vaccination; but they
pointed out that, by gross carelessness, 1t
might be innOculated instead OF vaccine.
The direct experiments, moreover, OF Gull
lerier and others with mixtures Of syphilit-
ic matter and vaccine, and vaccine matter
taken from persons suffering from c0nstitu-
tional syphilis, are most powerful argu-
ments against the idea that syphilis Is able
to be transmitted by means Of lymph taken
out of true Jennerian vesicie. To show
that two poisons cannot be present in true
Jennerian vesicle, lymph may be taken from
vesicle developed Ii person who has
been vaccinated too late to prevent small
pox, and used without the slightest hesita-
ton for vaccinatins another child. 1t would
certainly appear, from these facts, that vac
cinatiOn as such cannot convey, syphilis
with it, though syphilized lancet, or blood
taken up with lymph from a syphilihc in
FAINT MAY cause 1t to break out in persons
subsequently operated upon. 1t might,
nevertheless, be as well to do as Mr.. Hutch.
inson suggests, viz: to avoid taking lymph
from first born children, and take it only
from second or latter children, in families
of which the oldest has enjoyed good
health. AS regards the idea of scrOfula be-
ing conveyed By vaccination, there can be
TO doubr, as the Lancet says, that it Is a
mistake. rs Development is, on the con-
trary, greatly prevented, inasmuch as small
pox. by weakening the system, was offen
the occasion OF scrofulOus and tuebrcular
occasioned by vaccination, the fault is not
necessarily wit,, the matter but with the
constitution of the child yaceinated, which
cannot bear cventhe slight disturbance OF
vaccination with impunity, and fortiori
cannot bear the destructive disturbance of
smallpox, which is the almost certain alter
native . -...- -
The methods employed for vaccination
aTe-first, purcturing second, scratching ;
third, blistering. elils ..I 10 -.-r +z
. The last mentioned introduced by Mr.. FL
lis. of London,) is supposed to render the abb
sorption Of the lymph more certain, but it
most undoubtedly entails greater amount
of trouble, and cannot say from my own
experience that it fnsures greater amount
of success than eitherpuncSaringO or scratch
ing when carefully done. In a few instan-
ceS have seen very bad arms result from
this method. The pffecls produced by re-
vaccination are not, generally speaking, the
same as those which exhit themselves after
primary vaccination. AS far as / can see
myself. the effect of the vaccine nanifests
itself in three different ways: -
|. There may be perfect yesicle passing
through all the different stages, showing
that tine protective effects of the first vaccin-
alton have entirely passed awsy. -.
2. There may be scab formed, but no
ji>tlLcu seiicie, showing tnat the protective
effects CT he first vaccination only partially
remain. r-
3, There may be only slight redness pro-
duced, showing that the protective effects of
the first vaccination remain perfect or near
ly so. r....s.3 ,-ael. .fa ryEg
In all eases. think. where there is not O
perfect vescle. re-vaccination should be
tried again. in order that the operation may
not hereafter from carelessness fall into dis
repute. ...,.. .......
In order that the operators may learn the
benefits resulting from vaccination and re-
vaccination, all possible information should
be afforded them on tine subject, and medi-
cal men should be particularly anxious not
TO let any discredit fall upon the operation
for the want of proper care. Once let the
public be :ully convinced of the fact
that they can not possibly receive harm
from the incubation of vaccine matter, and
VIC may have the satisfaction of seeing
smallpox In time banished from our shores.