The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-09
UTILITY OF VACCINATION.
Its Value Demonstrated by a COn-
Eincing Array of Figures.
Instances Where Persons Have Suffered
Because of Unskiliful Vaccination
The Sunderland Horror.

LONDON. June 23.-Ihe storm OF dIstaVor
which has been so long gathering against the
practice of vaccination broke in the House
of Commons ON Tuesday, and proved in its
results to be a Yeritable tempest in a teapot.
That the opposition, after the tremendous
Fnmpus it has raised for the last few
months, should bave been swept away on
that occasion by a vote of 2S6 to 10 shows
how easily the noisy demo nstrations of a
sew professional agitators may be mistaken
for great popular uprising, and illustrates
once more how blantant fanaticism must
ever succup,b finally 70 facts and figures.
The resolution that was offered contem-
plated only the abolition of compulsory vac
Cination, but the debate and the vote were
clearly upon the general question. Sir
syon Playfair, the member for the Uni
Sersity of Edinburgh, who championed the
existing regime, supported his argument by
some very valuable statistics, which will, no
6oubt be read with as much interest on
your side of the Atlantic as on this. He
showed that whereas in the last century the
annual deaths from smallpox in England
and Wales averaged 5000 in the million of
III tilC AOity SNaiiS VI
vaccination that followed the average was
800 in the million; that in the period from
ISL to 1854, when gratuitous vaccination
was introduced, the average fell to 305; that
under the first obligatory act, from 1854 to
1871, there was further reduction TO 203,
and that from 1871 to 1883, the time
<inring which the present compulsory
law had been in operation, the average had
beer reduced to 1856 in the million. Addi-
'sjonal statistics in the same line were ad-
sziueed by DR.. Cameron, who said that in the
Asst fifty years, out OF q, 15ascertaiued cases
Ssf vaccination and non-vaccnation, in 5000
eases of non-vaecinaton the deaths were 8, 400,
or 40 per cent, while of the remaining $3.50
cases of vaccination the deaths were only at
abe rate of u per cent 1t had also been found,
said this gentleman, that cases of death
szhere there was one ineeculating mark were
aEiee as numerous as where there were two
s0s three, and three times as numerous
ss where there were three or -four
marks Sir Charles Dixie. Secretary of the
sasocal Government Board, also came to the
support of vaccination with some interest
Ssgfligures There were 10,504 persons he
said employed in the London postal service,
all of whom we're required 10 be vaccinated
0n entering the service unless the operation
Rad been performedwthin seven years pre-
Eiously In the ten years from 1870 to 1880
Shere had not been single case of death from
sInallpoxin this force, aud although there had
been an epidemic during that period there had
been only ten cases of the disease among the
men, and they very slight. Assuming
she statement made by those opposing COM
Eulsory vaccination to be correct, viz, that
90 per cent. of the population of the metrop-
oils were 'Vaccinated and per cent unvac-
Sinated the speaker last named
proceeded to draw some suggestive infer
snces from the statistics of the last great cpl
slemic. In the whole Of the hospitals of the
Metropolitan Asylums Board on that oc-
4asionitheTe had been, he said, 1858 deaths,
of which not 4, but 40 Ter cent. aweFe of per
sons altogether unvaeclnated In the period
since the epidemic there had been $40 deaths,
and in 453 cases the persons were unvaccin-
sted. while in 226 only were they yaccinated
So that out of 3 $50 900 persons vaccnated in
london, only 226 died; while out of 140 900
5nvaccinatel 453 died. These figures were,
0f course, unanswerable and overwhelming.
The House OF Commons never, perhaps, en-
sOyed a higher treat in the statistical line,
and the crushing force of this mastery de-
Tense OF vaccination was promptly and
foFcihle expressed IN the one-sided vote that
asollowed
A SHOW OF REASON.
1t cannot be denied, however, that the OPP
Yoaents of vaccination have a coloring OF
reason on their side and some slight show OF
facts. A few instances have occurred here
where persons have suffered outrageously
from Iheimproper performance of this opera
.tion, and indeed, If coroners juries are to
he relied upon, several deaths have resulted
from this cause. In case at one of the poor
houses of the metropolis in which woman
xas innooulated,a few days after confine-
nent, grave consequences ensued to both
mother and child, and the facts becoming
public, widespread indignation was aroused.
"A mother case was that of a child who died
shortly after vaccination at ST. Pancras S
Poor-house. AT the inquest evidence was
produced to show that several other children
had been vaccinated from the same arm, and
that they were ali doing we'll. The Jury.
however, while conceding that the operation
had been properly performed, found, never
theless that death resulted from congestion
of the brain, arising from the natural const-
tutional irritation following vaccination"
Gases like this rare as they are, have a
marked effect on the popular mind. though,
t'f course, they have little weight in the gem
5eral argument, and naturally enough made
noimpression on Parliament. Appropos of
this subject of vaccination, an example of
self-sacrifice has come to light, the final re-
suits OF which will be awaited by the scien-
sric world with the keenest interest. Re-
PLYING to question in the House of Com
snons as to whether one of the officers of the
Local Government Board, in the course of an
investigation into the conditions under
which certain loathsome disease cond be
transmitted in the act of vaccination, had
infected himself, and had seriously injured
his health. and whether, if that were true,
the conditions under which he succeeded in
injecting himself were such as might occur
during legitimate operations of vaccina-
- q L i