The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1893-12-01
IMMUNITY FROM SMALLPOX.
Why Vaccination Has Not Banished The
Disease from thu Raca


Why Vaccination Has Not Banished The
Disease from the Race.
II the truth were known it would
probably appear that vaccination has
not accomplished all that Jenner hoped
for it. Seeing his discovery so uni
versally accepted at the outset, seeing
1t nip epidemics of smallpox in tho
pud, and so vastly reduce the mortality
within few years, he would have
peen strangely unimaginative had he
not dreamed OF day when vaccination
should so fully have triumphed as to
have banished smallpox from the
world forever. In theory such a hope
found ample warrant The human
body furnishes the only soil, SO far as
known, on which the germs of this dis
ease can multiply and retain their vi
rulence- Vaccination renders the body
no longer habitable for these germs
1t, therefore, the entire race could be
given immunity through vaccination,
time being allowed for the destruction
OF such unproductive germs as had
found temporary Judgment elsewhere
than in the body. smallpox would
cease to exist. Its last germ killed,
there is no more reason to suppose that
1t would ever originate again, than
there is to expect the temperance of
the great aux, the mammoth, or the
glyptodon. In theory such an achieve
ment might require but month or a
year, but in reality century has not
accomplished it.
The chief reason why vaccination
has failed of this ultimate ideal achieve
ment is-paradoxical though it sounds
because vaccination has operated so
efficiently. So nearly has it banished
smallpox that no one now fears that
disease, and a general carelessness pre-
walls regarding it. No better comment
airy in this regard could be made than
mention of the fact that two physicians
recently contracted the disease in New
York from case which came to dis
pensary where they were in attend
ance. If physicians fail to give them
selves immunity, what shall we expect
of the public at large?
The other chief factor which cooper
ates with carelessness to keep smallpox
in existence is ignorance. So little is
smallpox heard of now that many
among the more ignorant classes
scarcely know the meaning of vaccina-
ton. Health officers find many persons
who suppose they are being vaccinated
to cleanse the blood" 1t does not
matter much what they think, perhaps,
SO long as they submit to the opera
ton. But many decline the boon, and
these of course remain susceptible to
the disease. Our laws offer protection
to all, but force it upon no one.
Abroad, in many places vaccination is
compulsory, a fine beng imposed if
any child is found unvaccinated at
certain age. The result thus aimed at
is accomplished in this country in a
more pleasant way by prohibiting I'M
vaccinated children from attendance
upon public schools. This measure,
together with the constant solicitations
of health officers, results in the vaccin-
| alton of very large proportion of in
fants
But vaccination in infancy is not
enough. 1t gives immunity for time.
but with growth the tissues change,
and after few years the body becomes
again susceptible. Revaccination must
be practiced when the child is six or
seven years old, and again during ado
lescence. Even this third vaccination
does not always give protection
throughout life. Immunity should be
tested every few years by repeated vac
cinations, and only persons who have
submitted to this test within few
years past can at any time feel full y
assured that they are insusceptible to
smallpox. Ignorance of this fact is
most potent in giving smallpox hold
upon the community. Not alone the
ignorant, but many people of intelli-
gence suppose that so long as the scar
of previous vaccination appears they
are immune, and with confidence born
of this delusional belief, go about the
world almost as susceptible to small
pox as if thew had never been vaccin-
ated. For such persons chiefly the
present words, with their obvious NOR
al, are acknowledgements Weekly.