The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1883-03-10

ably hundreds of cases in which the TO-
vine virus failed to produce any result.
Dir. Snow doubted whether we had yet
had a fair and ful! investigation ill regard
to the protective power of bovine virus,
and several facts had led him to believe
that it might fail to give full protection
from smallpox. At any rate, as he knew
the protective power of the humaniZed
virus to be absolutely perfect, and as in
a large experience, he had never seen
any seriously injurious results from its
use, he continued to use it, without one
particle of doubt that he was acting for
the best.
Referring again to the evidence of the
protective results of re-vaccipation, the
following facts should establish the i'm
portapce of e-vaccination i'll the minds of
any who may have any lurking doubts on
the subject.
Dir. Clayton, Medical Superintendent
of the Smallpox Hospital at Homerton,
(England) reports under date of January
30, last. Fifty-six servants have been
engaged here, of thes: - have previously
suffered from smallpox, and % were ie
vaccinated on taking office. One who
was unfortunately not reported to ne,
and who had neither been vaccinated
since infancy, nor previous TO hospital
service had small pox, speedily contract
ell it. With this one exception, our staff
has enjoyed perfect immunity.
DR.. Collie, Medical Superintendent Of
the Fever Hospital at llomerton. says in
his report About p persons in the ser
vice OF this Asylum have been re vaccin-
ated during the present epidemic. None
of these have contracted small poX. This
testimony confirms the report presented
by the Metropolitan District Asylum
board in 1871. in which it was stated that
THE necessity of re-Vaccinatior, when
the protective power OF the primary vac
cination has passed away, canpuL be too
strongly urged. No greater argument to
prove the efficiency Of this prec&ntion
can be aaduced, than the fact that o. up
wards OF 1850 cases received into the
hospitals only four well authenticated
cases were treated i'll which vaccination
had Eeen properly performed, and these
were light ones. Out of 800 nurses daily
brought into contact with the disease,
but IA very few contracted the disease,
and these cases were those III which re-
vaccination had been overlooked.
Reconciliation. Uheh tie SmaU p0r Is
pyetalent, is 10 the gtnerol public tchdt tie
sGttty-lump IL to tie miner, ii ad1rls Il
prOtrction nhich only rrceptioaol caScS ren.
der MeBicactous.
From Germany comes evidence no less
conclusive as to the protective power OF
re vaccination. In the German army
numbering about one half a million men.
from 1873 to 1879, there were on.y 81
cases of variola, and no deaths. But this
is explained by the fact that all the men
incorporated are vaccnated tive or six
times.
In striking contrast to the FORGING
accumulated testimony OF the advantages
of vaccination, is the history OF the de-
struction of band of EsVuimaux actors
who in 1881 were all fatally stricken with
small. pox. The history OF this case is
Interesting, outside of the Importance OF
it pathoiogically. This band Of actors
embarked from their native shores Of
Labrador, and landed at Hamburg Ger
many on the Goth of September 1850.
They visited in succession Berlin, Prague
and Frankfort. arriving at DarmstaGt on
December 18Th, stopping at Ccrtel,t Il
small town OF Rheuish Prussia from
the 18th to the 30th OF December.
and reaching Paris on December 3lst.
At Prague there was a smallpox cpl
demic raging. There young glrl OF the
troupe took the disease and dled Two
weeks afterwards a woman %! the band
died at Crefeld followed by the death of
a third girl from the same disease on the
3lst OF December. On the day after the
arrival oi the surviving five at Paris Jan.
LIST, 1851, they were all carefully vaccl-
mated nth 0hiHt0l cHcriae rirux. which
had been preserved in tubes, and five
days later the operation was repeated,
but in all cases without effect. This
failure was attributed to the fact that
their systems had already become infec-
ted with various poison. There was no
arm to arm vaccination in these cases
Aud yet it was known that the time for
this was upon their fist landing at IIi III
burg, or certainly at Prague Where the
epidemic existed, or at any rate 1T
Darmstadt when the death OF a first VIE
tim marked with the eruption gave a
primary signal OF the terrible danger to
which the whole troupe WAS tApunr,i.
But since the precautions WAS not adopted
tn time. It Is equally manifest that there
is no evidence that the failure oil vaccl-
nation to protect these un:Uitunaies was
due To ausht but a neglect Of the proper
msthod, and lis timely application.
Having already eXceeded The limits
intended for this article, We close Ii by
remarking, that ST lnsittIous Is the lnlec-
ton of smallpox that it is the sheerest
recklessneSs to claim immunity from it,
simply because no case OF tie disease
may be near. Did space allow We could
readily recall many cases, i'll which no
accountable or satistac tory cause of con
tagion could be assigned. A promine ut
merchant of Port Deposit bears the
marks of this dreaded disease contracted
when lying in ms mothers arms an in
FAINT, scarce Il fortnight old He hat.
never breathed the air outside his moth
er's chamber, nor had she ior weeks
previous to his birth been outside the
shadow of her own door sill The father
however had visited Philadelphia, and in
his clothing, which the mother had
brushed on his return. had brought back
the unconscious gift of This infection.
iIe escaped il, but the mother and child
were laid close to death door. This is
but one instance OF the unaccountable
freaks of this subtle foe of man. The
writer of this article breathed tor several
successive days and nights the unwhole-
some atmosphere in which il college com
panion lay sick, unconscious If his NAL
ady. The day following over thirty four
cases of variola closed the doors of the
College and dispersed its three hundred
students. Vaccination proved protec
tive power behind them all. precautIon
wisely TAKEN
Eminent medical authority every here
sustains the value OF vaccination, abso-
luteiy from human, qualiieGIy from bo-
vine virus. The obligation Of self pro
lection by its means binds alike the in
dividual and society. No one Gan over
look the obligation he owes himself in
this matter except by The higher offence
he commits against community. No in
tallinont m IN will ha Lnrnli..t n;thnr