New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-23
VACCINATION STATISTICS.

TO me EdtiO Of me IFtbuHG
SIR: a recent interview with DR.. Sayrc, in
which that distinguished surgeon reteIateS li' conn
dcncc in vaccination, sup OItcd by statistics gain
cred from Il charitable institution, fOrcby suggests the
weak point IN ucarIy all the arguments Of our medca
practitioners this subject. Those statistics us usual
were only one factor term in the argument, where
two are necded to furnish hrm scientific convic ION
am "a stIunS advocate Of vaccination, but realize the
weak ront in liz defence, winch medical men must
stronathen il they expect 10 eradicate opposition OVA
clUe,ons drawn from figures prepared and an'iIed
NilLout statistical ,L are too often false or hn'cad
in,. ana tlI- is particularly tire in this matter
r Ike the case in point, wlc, is far sample OF others
Acc,eit 10 In. sayrc dWILr eleven years only sixty
cascs o smallpox occurred among l356S admissions 10
the Nursery Hospital Of which twcuty-four were con
trctcd outside during three Of those years when
ncciuation WAS The most vigorously praciised there.
only three occurred. all Of which were imported Now
10 eve any substantial vIlut to these lgdres should
know from nearly similar experience among Ike
class and during time, what would have been
the probable result h3' no vaccinations been ma IT, lI
H. tIc ocr factor We should Auou whether these
occurred among the yacciuHcd or the unNacclnatcd,
most yit point All that know Is, thai during three
years wAcn vaccination WAS prucrstd "It1 the most
ricor only three uccurrc J. ~! imported Consider
in.s tAdt three communicated cases .rly was the
average experience OF The Institution. that during those
rear, presumably greater precautions were adopted IN
and the Imported tutul~tf
were below the az raSc of other years, three
an exceedingly ma. eQuatc number winch 10 prcdi
CAT, any reliable conclusion. What is wanted is
fI.ii.al comparison Of the vaccnItcd and the
ciuatod o. the class, under TIE same conditions OF
time aud place and in numbers large enough to
accidental laiIon, Strange il may seem except
in one in S, n,c this appears have been
fully attempted.
II may be said that the same end f. accomplished by
the cmn alive weight of just iuprTect testimony
h tAe above the drgJmslo nj sLt Dc good one /! tho
facts admitted OF reasonable explanation. Bat
let us look at the in general way. Whit would he
Thought OF the assertion shat vaccination Piocc-
ton AGAINST cuocit and typus ever. Yet il the
If les could be gathered, 10 would probably DO found
lust ~ with smallpox that these diseases prevailed
chiefly among the ,iuvtccinafcd, aud many viii claim
for the sam reason, an these disOrd seek
their victims clicn among the tenement population.
VINO nance To he that ur sl,ct vaccination.
Lc smallpox, too, tnes- disease awe their criod, Of
1s. a. III decline is perfectly obvious hIi The pr
tIon of eases among ytrrnlfri AMI "ciu eli,
consideration Ui other facts, can Satisfactorily
prove ustuin-.
Ia Ortun4toly the only approximately scientific sta
tissues g,Ictu $50 lar a. observed ~ the writer,
were uuayDr ,.e aId may hcl TO explain thc ThepC-
lrt IA .urUp" Ou the Suplrc, A. thrSr Stalls
are PROBABLY 10 most OF slCduh,
and are of ling interest. the following brief state
mcnt tne facts given: In 1873 ~. Keller. cnicf
me neal officer tie Imperial Austrian Railways,
rendered a rcuOu the ~lchDrS, from smallpox during
that year nc cHplOy GHd their t4mI Number
iuL about $4,000 ciHpn~, al chei 90 lJJ galway sd
lions and i,turIcs tIrUuI nUu tIr empire. The
IOuUt "a classification Ol tAc numbers attacked aud
the pcrCcn re Oi dc tthS