New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-02
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
Mr.. BERGH AND VACCINATION.
% The Enifnr OF Ths IT, nne.

Mr.. BERGH AND VACCINATION.
TO the Edttor or The Tr1bHne
SIR We all feel well convinced that Mr.
Bergh would much prefer being convicted o error than
knowingly 30 oppose any good and philanihropc thing
The from when he has derived his beliefs about
vaccination well known aud they r as erroneous
the statements quoted from the soca!lcd Professor
Adolf Vogt. The great epidemic OF smallpox III Europe
in ls71-'72 was unexamplcd I'm the memory Of living
man for its diGGsNencss and maiguaucy. Now the
starting point OF This ubrcak IN part OF Brittany
in France There, shortly before the siege OF P'rt
smallpox appeared M population unprotected by vac
clnaton. The disease declared itself with maguancy
only observed IN the first instance among populations
placed and un0er ordinary circumstances II would
probably have exhausted itself In the district where IL
assumed this character, suCIt was the tomulrlc"
ton between 10 and tn surrounding country; OF "a the
worst would have extended ~ scattered and manage
able form, The districts nu,GItcly ooaccut Hnt
the gcIcics of {hc FrancoGormau brought a'out
a state of things which converted what would otherwise
nave been exceptionally severe local outbreak OF
elnpoX (Which could have served alone 10 point Local
vpccuation-roran into Worldwide dissemination OF
mangnancy great ae - compel the rc'ons attention
o. Governments. First. was necessary TO lraft into r
French army. 10 The utmost limit, conscrp- or recruits
from the Iaicctod districts; secondly IL wa found IN
possible carry ia zine JWar those precautions
a. to vaccination aud rcyarcuauou OF persons
added to the army which Insisted upon in the oi
peace 20 happened tnai cOu-cips and recruits Hom
the Infected locality in J. rtauy carried win them into
Tue army tIr malignant dls,, prevalent ia t"cr homes.
Tie tr,uru army ;t TINE FURNISHED an duuuidhtc
OF unyacrlatrG or imprrc yaccnairu persons
unmoIn,d sai" lac army moved niihcr ana t"it"er
il disorder aInoLg The cis p"iuati"n fr'
early IccciS ed tn mtccuJH from dcacnncut- Cd. troops
having DISEASE among mem. VINO udIchrd mto me
city before the SIEGE ami ucrc smut III, tIe pc-rnrc
multiplied undcr circumstances pccurary inN"rib, Tor
retaining it, uali-ntucy. WIN Toe raising o. "a" $. -
aud word. the nr- outrush Of the released
Inhabitants ANA Foreigners VINO had had I" oman
wbln the city during the liNcetm NJ scd' 'e'cu 'ne
maiady broadcast INTO hitherto unaffected roy
mccs. to adjacent COMMITTEES, Wmcn up 10
that time had remained uFAl''ttd' AMONG
other countries 10 England Germany ana NE
GulieH Hat'7' A. t' 6'n' , ol ,nS m I.',,n
London was he cunning l." suIrI rom one mot rec III
cpdciuicn tiION winch marx tHt acCdliia-
difference w"ich cuS'omaI1y follows me a'hnn oi IL
present epdeinic but me character 81 lie us'"Hr
different 10 intensity from THAI Wnlch was imported
from Paris wneh the siege Va, raise, ana "uth as
presently suppnted tho eX-urS drtisc AMI gave that
ascot the subsequent progress oi the cpIdthAc III
The only reasons why We have any smallpox IT all
are: First, that many people neglect or rciuSc {" be
ID III, summer ', i,I ~ 'd az ,, IN rir t
Inc matter; most c them can hc referred 10 the
germs cruptive disease or cryHT,id' or SAT- rbrHm
sonally aroused 10 activity by vaccuaupn but wuIon
far u6re frequently would have appeared very soon
trrfiIe The conveyance Of otlcr dea,c, 10y means
M (l,,.inato on is yer, rare iuuceu ana almost an
them have been honest! recorded ANA Iuplfncu by
honest SclJ> ana nave been very cNluthul cNuE-
alr,trd h, ignorant ularmsis OF ueIudcd ps-lIno-
puLlutprostS. Tuc caves selected lur tine iiUpa-a-
non OF bovine care my cl'd out iHat tue
,'yc,-~rr ot mic diseases ID. NOR mrau5 n almost
impossible II Mr.. Ecign were ~ all amllar wiz 'Ou-
fluent malignant smallpox We are very sure jat NE
Vuuld raise hiS VOICE or gasp las Zen against
vaccination; and u be were aware nov uucn -ypmu-
abroad ~ lhc world, winch har hot the sshicoi
con-. ctou wlh vaccination be would 50 be silent as'4
dumb
snaupox prevent the occHrrc-cs Of saroiua,
consumption or cancer and vaccn"o does moo pro
lucc any these diseases. JcuuI ud not resort To
hors grease because r"Vpof Tailed, di hcc2u-e he sun
posed jAtt were rii"iai u7r'"''' J'HIrI was uc''i
VAN ambitious nor ignorant nu one o. tbc most modest
and tutii'. nen i4. ever 'Sslr., ana he vas mon
Tree from That bitterness OF spirit "mch sucAS on,
in MI Eer- IS article JrunrF never oNcrHitpp'd
the lire Of h- pr" "s,lor, no Ueddir1 win matters
Wmth dlu I"i concern hh an" "l'u i' ''' H'' I',l
stand Jcuucr ana ms cou-o tlous a-ritc- need no
defence AMONG really nicisrL %ei-pai5rd 1t' un
mara Is opposed o. tnrH Du tAct are pI.ec! cog
non, and they no. ONLY more ciei'ly Eliil t-4.-.
tncln but hauky acknowledge what can Ji, ~ DE said
millions Of people been yalsiHtci many 81 ia go
previously unhealthy aud now lcW 81 tnem nave "rn
uid IN ~ i ann t1a some Of rlen, nave been
I,i,r and h- true dscipIc. ihri" would hay, been no
couuaiui against vaccination; Sr. Bcrsh> soul womb
tia, .iaupI out OF tuurIcgl"-I~ among cattle HLi us
,,,,a. m cows mn h. nc need concern himself not
al a with ils propagation uy Na,cn" matter Wmch r
simple IlnIo--IuI.Ity, or nearly so.
he reason wny SOLDIERS frequently attacked
f. winch renders white sheep capable I'll" giving
more wool oman b.nck sheep: tutrc are many o
iLcm No great epucuic &. smallpox ha, prevailed iortl
many years among tie Prus-ld dicr-, VINO are always
better .uatrd tJu otucs German armies. Nh.H % |
/, rrcul,ctcd rarely fresh cu"puN is discovered 10
the COW, now mlIrquru mh7i be tr "ip'ri iLlut-
for the c.urc renewal o tine -t"cf VIII become t'
dent that simple deterioration o. Vaccine matter may
sometimes occur, ANA ia"urcs 10 secure per,, 7Ary
a stIurt smallpox may occasionally happen even "ieh