The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-01-21
Vaccination.

Vaccination.
| On the disputed question whether vaccina-
ton is n sure safeguard against smallpox, DR..
Lewis A. Sayre, of New York city, high au-
thorhy among medical men, recently made
the following interesting statement to Times
reporter;
The doctor said that from the most careful
study of statistics and the opinions and eNpe-
rience of the most acknowledged authorities,
| physicians have come 10 the conclusion that
smallpox Is capable OF beng entirely eradi.
Gated from any community by proper and
persistent system of universal and repeated
vaccination. From the year 1893, when Jen-
ner announced to the world his great discOve-
ny, to the present time, facts have been con
stantly accommodating for the clucldation of the
most universally accepted truth ever demon
strateu by the science of medicine, and that is
that vaCcin alton, when properly performed, isl
a certain and perfect protection against small
pOX. Dr. Sayre referred 10 the malignant cpl
dcmic of smallpox which prevailed in Phila-
dephia in 1927, when but one well-ascertaincd
death from that disease among $1,000 vacclna,-
cd persons came 10 the knowledge OF com
mjtteC Of Investigation. From 1901 TO 1872 IN
UoIseln 234,9j0 persons were subjected 10,
/
for two years subsequently, only two cases Of
vaccinaIed persons occurred. In the kingdom Of
Denmark, during the same period, only one
individual among All 900 vaCcnutCd had been
attacked by modified variOla; thus showing
that in population Of S25G4, with the eXcep-i
ton of three cases, the disease was entirely
lextcrmlnated for a space Of twenty-three years,
Previous To the use OF vaccination there died
annually of smallpox out Of every million in
Westphalia during the years l11G 50, 2,643,
and during thirty five years, from lSlG-50 (at-
ter vaccination was adopted), the annual death
rate from the same disease was only Ia In
Copenhagen the death rate from smallpox an.
nually was 3,l2S for every million in many
years, and after vaccination 1t was only 2S6.
In Berlin for twenty-five years previous to the
general use of vaccination the annual death
rate by smallpox was 3,422 and for forty years
subsequently II has been only SIG. In Sweden
for twenty. eight years preceding the use OF
vaccination, out of every million of the popu-
lation there died from smallpox annually 1850,
and for forty years after the use of vaccination
the annual death rate by smallpox was only
1873 of every million. This report was present
ed to both houses of parliament by command
or her majesty, but it carried on its face It's
own importance.
Thus 1t is seen, says the doctor, that out Of
/
pox previous to vaccination, 62O6l, and from
the same number of people there have died
ANNUALLY since vaccination was adopted only
| 7,403, thus saving annually the lives OF 3d.
45S persons, besides the relief from physical
suffering which those who are afflicted with
this terrible sCOurgc must necessarily endure
| From all the evidence we have been able to
obtain, we have reason to believe-in fact we
are almost positively certain-that had the
vaccination been perfect and universal among
these 22000,000 the other 7 4O3 could have
been saved also. Shall we go further? Very
well, then; here goes. DR.. j. G.. BaliOur, sur
geon to the royal military hospital at Chelsea
in England, states that the smallpox mortality
of the British navy has not reached third,
nor that of the British army fourth, OF the
! London rate, and he says that in the expert
ence of the royal military asylum for forty
! eight years (within which time 5,744 boys
have been received for training) only four
deaths from smallpox occurred, and-mark
this-these all in unvacciDated boys who were
believed already to have suffered smallpox be-
fore becoming inmates OF the school"
|. The doctor insisted that there should be fire.
quenCy OF vaccination, until the system has
been so thoroughly infected with the vaccine
poison that it will act as a permanent pro-
lection.
For twenty years previous to 1862 the Prus.
sian army presented an almost entirely revac-
cnated population. One hundred and four
annual deaths by smallpox was the least expe-
rience of the former system two annual deaths
by smallpox has been the average Of the re-
vaccinated army. Since 1913 rcvaccinaton
has been compulsory in the Bavarian army,
and from that date up to the date of the last
Ireport-lS51-he has noticed neither a single
death by smallpox nor even single case OF
cad ,,olI ry,1i
that population Many other statistics from
Sweden, Denmark, Baden, and the British ar
my could be cited equally striking, proving
the absolute necessity for revaccination.
The doctor closed his interview by saying:
Il would have such laws enacted as would
properly enforce efficient and universal vacci-
nation; that it he repeated as often as every
five years until the age Of 81, and that each
person should be compelled to have certiti.
cate testifyIDg the same, and which should be
renewed every five years uutl II years OF age.
1t should also be declared "a law that any
physician failing to report a case under his
charge within twentyfOur hours be fined 500.
| Every hotel keeper or boarding house keeper,
or head Of a family delinquent IN the same
manner should be fined $50. In all the penal
institutions and public hospitals, and the state
police, fremen, state militia and departments
of the government the law could DC enforced
without much trouble or difficulty. Every
family on engaging servant, every merchant
on hiring a clerk, every captain on shipping
sailor, every manufacturer on employing
mechanic, every officer on enlisting "A recruit
| in fact, every man and woman in the state
who employs or controls other men. women or
children ought to compel the applicants and
those under them to exhibit certificate Of
vaccination properly dated, and this could be
carried through the different ramifCatons of
society. The attention of the community
would thus be fastened upon this important
subject, and its beneficial effects would soon
be so apparent as to render no legislation nee.
essary for It's continued enforcement. II these
Suggestions could be practically carried into
effect [ confidently helieYe that in a few Xears