Daily Republican., 1883-10-13

fury, prior to which time smallpox
was unknown, and followed 1t through
all the hundreds of years that have in
tervened, up to the present century.
In 1868 Jenner's great discovery that
vaccination prevented smallpox took
place. He lived in a community where
great amount of cheese was made
and where of course there were many
cattle Smallpox had become pesti'
leniial disease, but Jenner, who was
then clerk in an apothecary store
noticed the fact that the mixers whose
hands had become sore by milking
cows affected by the COW pox, were
commonly reputed to have an immu
nifty from smallpox. He investigated
the matter and found thai the immu-
nifty really did exist. Then came the
bright thought to Jenner's mind that
by artificial means cow-pox could be
communicated to man and then from
man to man, and thus combat and fol
the disease of smallpox. one Of. the
greatest enemies of our race 1t was
not, however, until thirty years aftel
his discovery that Jenner, fortified by
experiments, ventured to publish to the
world his great discovery.
After infinitely following the course
of vaccination and its effects upon the
disease of smallpox, Dr.. Kane refers
to the attempt made to bring Jenner's
discovery into disrepute. These are his
words:
"Of late years, certain practitioners
of medicine, chiefly Germans, anC
mostly of the homeopathic school, have
eudeavored to bring .Jenner's discovery
int o disrepute. Forgetting or ignoring thu
fact that Jenner claimed for vaccina
ton only the s'me protective power
that previous attack of smallpox
could give, they have terreted out the
case of smallpox occurring after vac
cination, and taking no count of the
many cases of secondary smallpox thai
occur, boldly state that vaccination has
no protective power. have careful J
examined the tabulatad statistics OF
many European cities, as wei! As those
of our own country, and feel able tt
state, with confidence, that of thos'
who die from smallpox the average i
only from 81 to per cent. in the vac
cinated, as contrasted with 30 to 30 pc
cent. of those who were unprotected b.
vaccination.
DR.. Kane, in his paper, lays dow
|certain rules to be observed in The vac
cination of children which are very i'm
portant. and in order that our reader
may become acquainted with them W
give them place elsewhere in on
local columns. From ali that Dr.
Kane has been able to gather from col
lected statistics upon the subject G
vac ination he arrived at the followin
Conclusions:
First-Vaccination reduces the nun
Der of those who take the smallpox
after having been exposed to it, to tn
same extent that previous attack G
smallpox does Second-That in thos
exposed who do take the disease, it i
usually modified in form, greatly les
dangerous to life, and much less likel
to produce Disagreement or bad ate
results. Third-That when properl
performed with well selected lympL
there is no danger of scrofula, syphilis
or ally other constitutional disease bt
!. ing transmitted with the vaccine.
DR.. Kane presents a number {
statistical tables which have bee
collected with great care and troub
from English records which show be
You'd doubt that vaccination properl
performed accomplishes all that
claimed forit, and leaves no doubt tn;
ii is a preventive as a general rule {
virulent and fatal smallpox.