Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1893-11-03
VACCINATION AND SMALLPOX.
From IIuper's weekly

From littper's weekly
If the truth were known. it wuuld
probably appear that vac nation has no.
accomplished all that Jeuner hoped 70
it.. Seeing his discovery 50 universally !
accepted at the outset, seeing 1t nip cpl !
denies Of smallpox in the bud, and so
vastly reduce the mortality within few
years, he would have been strangely
unlm lginalve had he not dreamed of Il
dty when vaccination should so fully
have triumphed rs to have banished
SIN ill-poX from the world forever. la
theory such hope found ample warrant.
The human body furnishes the only soil.
so far as known, on which the germs of
this disease eau multiply aud retain their
virulence. Vaccination renders the body
no longer habitable for these germs. If
therefore the entire race could be given
immunity through vaccination, time
being allowed for the destruction of such
unprUductive germs as had found tenn
porary Judgment elsewhere than in the
body, smallpox would cease to exist.
Its last germ killed. there is no more
reason to suppose that it would ever
originate again than there is to expect
the reappearance of the great aux, the
mammoth, or the gIyptodon. In theory
such an achievement might require but
month or year, but in reality century
has not accomplished it.
The chief reason why vaccination has
failed of this ultimate ideal achievement
is-paradOXical though it sOunds-be.
cause vaccination has operated so
efficiently. SO nearly has it hanished
smallpox that no one now fears that
disease, and general carlessness pre-
walls regarding il. No better common
tary in this regard could be made than
mention of the fact that two physicians
recently contracted the disease in New
York from a case which came to dis
pensaiy where they were in attendance.
If physicians fail to give themselves i'm
munity, 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 vaccination.
: Health officers find many persons who
suppose they are being vaccinated to
''cleansc,t the blood" 1t does not matter
: much what they think, perhaps, so long
4 oc h,,t m ko PAT
many decline the boon, aud these of
course remain susceptible to the disease.
Our laws offer protection to all, but
forces it upon no one. Abroad, In many
places vaccination is compulsory, fine
being imposed if any child is found I'M
vdcclnated at certain age. The result
thus aimed at is accomplished in this
country in a more pleasant way by pro-
hibiting unvaccinated children from at
tendance upon the public schools. This
measure, together with the constant
solicitations of health officers. results in
the vaccination of u very large proper
ton of infants.
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. Revaccnation must
be practised when the child is six or
seven years old. and again during ado
lie scence. Even this third vaccination
does not always give protection through
OF life. Immunity should be tested
every few years by repeated vaccna-
I tions, aud only persons who have sub
mtied to this test within few years
past can at any time feel fully assured
! that they are insuscPptihle to smallpox.
Ig lorai ce of this fact is most potent in
giving smallpox Il hold upon the com
munity. Not alone the ignorant, but
many people of intelligence suppose
that SO long as the scar of previous
vaccination appears they are immune
and with confidence born of this de
! lusional belief, 60 about the world al
most AS susceptible to smallpox as il
1 they had never been vaccinated. FoI
such persons chiefly the present words
with their obvious moral. are intended.