The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-04
TICCIN.fTION CRITICISED.
DIR. Quinn. Belief that the Practice IL Not n
Preventive OF smnii-P Fox.
l.. Y. W.

Few physicians oppose vaccination rs n
preventive Of small pox DIR. Robert A. Gum
of this city Is one of the few. He lecturcd on
Friday evening before the Liberal Club. Il do
not believe" hc said. that single person has
ever been protected from small pox 10y vaccina-
ton and know that many serious bodily evils
have resulted from it," lie had never doubted
the teachings Of the books in regard to the pro-
phyiactic power Of vaccination against small
pox until in 1872. he was called on TO prepare
report on the subject for medical society. The
result OF his Investigations. together with facts
that accumulated IN his hands from various
sources. led him to come out squarcly against
vaccination.
Smallpox was imported into the New World
in 1871. he said. and three years later negro
communicated the disease To- the dwellcrs on
the Mexican coast, and three millions of people
in Mexico alone fell victims to the soourgc. In
1913 an English physician in Constantincpc
promulgated the theory OF incubation. Lady
Mary Wortcy Montague became his first con-
vert. and 10y 1850 it had gained great popularity.
But when Jcnncr introduced vaccination in
l79s. il was found that incubation increased the
number Of smallpox cases. whcrcupon laws
were passed in different countries making the
practice crime. and il was soon abandoned.
For a time Jcnnor's discovery that small box
could De prevented by vaccination was bitterly
opposed 10y the medical profession. but after
awhile his teach ms prevailed not only. in
accepted IT, lust n they had discarded blood
letting. Jenner held, after having given the
subject only six years study, that one vaccina-
ton was sufficient Tor "A lifetime; but expert
enc" has taught the world the fallacy OF his as-
SUMPTION. Had he dis 'overed any scientific
truth Il surely should have come down 10 us
pre- IT, j, ~ he gave It 10 the world in 1898
Persons IN weak condition. VINO are exposed
H. the cifiuvia OF smal-p oN. are liable 20 take
j. =
is true of all other d.-eases' Vaccination oit~n
communicates dis.as,; and ii il can protect
aeain-, small-pus. why can it not protect
against ITSELF The FIRST person Jcnncr va.c-
smallpox took the disease and died OF II and
since tnch the history oi me subject proves that
similar r. suits are 50 frequent that the yalu" OF
vaccination as prophylactic Is completely de-
stroycd.
liz vaccination arrested the fearful ravages
Of smallpox Has the disease been stamped
out IL W. nave been toldY IN Jrnnrr's time 1t
app ,ared IN a mild form. and not liz the sweep
world before his day. Civilization had brought
knowledge OF hygirnir and quarantine advan.
ta4;r- and ~ thcs. advantages had bsen awaited
OF. the plaques had diminished. TIE Advocates
OF vaccination ia England prepared report in
1864 in which tables were prcsrn showing
the value If vaccination. They began with lsss,
which WIS before the compulsory Nacciudt on
laws were passed. and ended in lsGl. The in
justice OF their dedu tons IL apparent when t
II known Uat smallpox was more prevalent IN
lS5s than II any other year in the century, and
then they give no returns Tor 1873 1874. 1910. ami
1876, years In which the compulsory acts were
in force; years, too. in which cpidcmi's pre-
vailed, and the death rate from smallpox had
in reased alarmingy Here is summary Of
tho table presented:
For 1855 1883 1910. the average annual death
rate was li9ii. From l,il To 1873. vaccination
heing free hut not obi gatory. the death rate
aVerac "a 5.2sl bat IN these years are not IN
cludcd the epidemic years of lsiJ and $50. From
1851 10 1901 Inclusive. vaco iuAtion being oblga-
tory. the average death rate WAS 3.2l0 Here the
compilers stopped, AMI chained for NarrinatiOn
the Inference between ll,9ii ana 3,2iO. In the
last year included IN their table the number Of
deaths WIS 1870: n isil mot in tne tablet It WAS
in lSb5 II WAS C.4ll. Now. II vaccination redu ed
the death rate from b.2Ds in 1875 10 l.i2n in l-il
what Increased the death rate 30 greatly IN the
next four years
mated country IN the world. show that IN iS,s
there were | sos deaths from smallpox. and
that ia 1857 there were l.sA From this they Tell
tOH, 6. d. AID p ia the years biiween lsii AMI
pui-Ory Narrinatl on at; and the cry came,
Smallpox has bon stamped out ni sweden
By Nurc4nat40n.' But, 10, IN l-ap there W re
1850 l"atls from smallpox in 1851 th,re We're
tury ia that country. and in lsi2 there We're
1854 e.auls-and all The victims lad been yaccl-
! mated.
In NV York AMI BROOKLYN said DR.. Gum.
smallpox by vaccination but the dis 'ass still
prevails. and the majority OF it, victims have
been vacrinated. II is significant fact that the
disease IL most prevalent where VACCINATION has
and rr-S vaccination VIII certainly prevent small
poN, said the leg tur'r. why do lts advocates IN
s-i On tho enforcement OF quarantine rtguih-
tons On, they say. that is - prevent the I'M
only ones who would suffer. would it mol DO well
To cJLlycL them 10 submit to Narcln4tlOuI