South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1882-02-10
Communication.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.

tho Smallpox throughout the United
States during o few months past, and
which TO an alarming extent, in many
sections OF the country still prevails.
many inquiries are made by the nom
professional as to the preventive po wer
Of Vaccination, in that loathsome dis.
ease, The length of time it lasts, &C., /
have thought, therefore, that the opin-
ions Of thoss eminent in the medical
profession, might not be amiss, in your
paper, upon this subject | will there
fore give, as the reflection Of the opin-
ions OF tho medical profession. general
~. upon this subject quotation FROM
an article written by professor FsASc1s
CoNDrE, OF Philadelphia, in the journal
Of the Medical Sciences for 1871. L. is
not necessary to say to the medical pro.
fession that Professor Condie's opiuion
upon this, IS we'll as upon all mattors
/ pertaining to his profession stands pre-.
eminent. Professor CoNDIE says, in
writing upon this subject, that Several
cases are recorded, in which primary
vaccination was performed, with pure,
| recent, active matter; but without the
operation being followed by any other
result than slight soreness 1T the part
"here the virus was introduced, and
which was entirely gone in day or
two. The same thing occurred ai,er
| second and third insertion OF vaccine
/ matter, that haG been used successfully
! in other cases fually, incubation with
vario.ous matter was resorted to, and
with the same negative result. In three
| OF these cases the patients, after the
/ lapse Of six, eight, and fourteen years
respectively, were exposed TO variolous
injection during severe epidemics OF
smallpox, and oil contracted The disease.
| but in very mild ANA greatly modi6.
cd form.
The fact that such resi- ,tance TO the
action Of morbiic agents is possessed
! to greater or less degree, by certain
| individuals, must not be lost SIGHT OF in
making up our estimate ,of the extent
and valne or the protection against va.
! riOlOns disease afforded by vaccination
Among every given number OF persons
| who have been yacCinateG, apparently
/ with complete success, there will aiNAys
be found some, Rnd tie average number
/ vii amount perhaps TO some sixty.seven
per cent, who will be endowed with
complete and permanent protection from
III attack Of smallpox, even in mud
and modified form; others, in whom lho
protection, Will DC for Tina complete,
and continue 80 for longer or shorter
. in = 81
lection will become gradually more or
less impaired and finally fail entirely
while, in other cases, there wilt be, at
eli times, when exposure TO the inteU-
ton Of yatioia takes place, liability 20
en- attack Of the latter though IN nearly
every instance in a decidedly modified
form-mild in is symptoms, short in
It's duration, aud terminating neither in
deformity nor in death.
"EXceptGg in those eases, which,
however, are Of rare occurrence. where
puro vaccine matter, recent and active,
is employed, aud where tho operation
is followed by neither constitutional nor
local effect, it is impossible 10 Judge,
with anything like an approach towards
/ certainty, the extent to which, and the
/ period Of time during which vaccino-
ted subject will enjoy exception fcom
/ variOiOus Infection; tho extent and en-
. durance OF The exemption having no Gi.
rect relation TO the character and course
/ Of the local phenomena, which, foiloH
the insertion into tic arm OF vaccine
/ virus.
"IE now We are correct in our p-cmi-
ses, which are based upon 4 very large
/ series OF careful observations OF our own
/ and Of host Of other practitioners in
/ this country and in Europe, tire impor-
/ lance, nay, tho absolute necessity Cf re.
vaccination in all cases. 70 insure the
! complete prophylazis furnished 10y the
vaccine infection, against smallpox. is
rendered apparent.
when smallpox occurs in the midst
/ Of community@of the vaccnaied who
are exposed 20 its injection there will
/ always be GONE who arc liable s. an at
| tack Of tic disease, which wilt be in
nearly every instance more or less mo
/ diiod iu its leading features lin it's du.
ration, IN It's severity. in is sc1uel,e,
/ and IN FITS moriality-in different cases :;
/ but which. even iu this modified form,
viii DO capable Of giving risa % on in
lection or cJEtagiOD by Which Che dis.
easo may be propagoted, and 10 its most
malignant form, Throughout "a large por-
tioa OF the community. Nov. having
no certain means OF determining 10
what extent hey who hayo been alrea-
oT subjected - vaccination are CON-
p.otely protected from the action Of tho
,l.o,od- Infection lo which ihay are lil-
n.o 10 Du exposed ot any moment, IT,
. al rs.s. .