Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-02-01
From the Woodstock Standard
Eaccin


As the inquiry is made of me almost
every day, ''DO | need to be reyaccinat-
ed II" and, How long will the protec-
ton last ?' I thought I would answer
those questions with some others that
might very properly be made, through
she columns of our local papers, and in
so doing place the facts within the reach
of all,
Dr. Jenner, of Berkley, Gloucester
shire, England, promulgated this dis
covery in 1893, after a series of expert
4, ments and observations extending over
a period of 20 years, and OF all the
benefactors who have ever lived no one
has conferred on mankind such immense
Sud lasting benefits. IS
In 1899 the practice of vaccination
was introduced into this country by Ben
. jamin Warehouse Of Boston, the first
professor of medicine in Harvard, not
Withstanding the existence of very
strong prejudice against it,
a DR.. Flint saws certain interesting
questions relate to the nature and source
Of cow poN. Did it originate in the COW,
or come from the human species Does
it affect other animals? What are its
essential relations to smallpox?
. With respect to these questions facts
have shown cOnclusiyely that yaccinia
in the COW may be produced by inocu-
lation with the smallpox virus taken
from man, and that the disease produced
in the cow, transferred to man, gives
rise to yaccnia in the latter.
These experiments have been repeat
olly performed in different countries.
Vaccine virus obtained in this way
has been extensively used in vaccination
and it has been found efficient in pre-
venting smallpox.
There are undoubtedly many persons
In all communities who are relying sole
w for protection on vaccination per-
formed by an unskilled person, and al
though they may have had a sore arm,
and been quite unwell at the time, with
large cicatriX for witness, the whole
thing may have been spurious, and they
have received no more protection from
sLnall pox than they would have if II had
never been done.
Therefore the imperftive necessity of
having those who are qualified and
ose'legitimate business it is to do it.
If it is worth doing it is worth doing
well.
There are very few persons in the
community bUt medical men who could
select the right yesiclcs from which to
obtain their virus.
Then again it Is Just as necessary
tnat phe person from whom the virus is
obtained should be free from certain dis
eases, and their antccedents should be
able to bear inspection.
One great reason urged by many per-
sons why they 10 not protect themselves
and families by vaccination is the fear
I. I
nicatcd with yaccinia. Now there is
not the slightest danger when the virus
il taken from proper persons, and used
en- Il proper manner by those thoroughly
competent to do it; while in unSkillful
hands the purest virus may be the cause
of untold miscrics and death.
In large majority of cases vaccina-
ton properly done affords absolute pro-
lection against small pox for a time, and
those thus protected are as fully pro-
tected as they would be if they had had
small poy by incubation or the natural
way.
There is a small minority who are
only partially protected by one VAGINA
ton and the'susccptibility to small poX
is not destroyed but will he greatly modi
Ged.
The only safe way is not only to be
yaccinated but to be reyaccinated, and
DR.. Austin Flint advocates the proprie-
tyif not the Importance ofrevaccinating
every five years. Every one should be
yaccinated. Children in infancy, and
again on reaching the age of puberty.
All should be rcyaccinated until it ceases
to take effect; then they have an absol-
mc immunity from small poX.
EDWIN HAZEN.