Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1894-02-08
VACCINATION AND SMALLPOX.
observations Gathered From the Exper
fences of the Past

1athered From the Exper-
lences of the Past.
narpers Bazaar: If the truth were
Nnown 1t would probably appear that
49, ma tlon has not accomplished all
Ia: la 'enner hoped for it. Seeing his
.'ooserV SO universally accepted at
ne uulset: seeing it nip epidemics of
y po& In the bud. and so vastly re-
~ Ioce Cne mortality within few years.
lo would nave been strangely unim-
"Salatlve had he not dreamed of a dav
"!ieh vaccination should so fully have
u lllphed as to have banished small
poA from the world forever. In theory
a 81, a hope found ample warrant.
Ane human body furnishes the ONLY
SOIL SO Tar as known, on which the
germs or this disease can multiply and
retain their virulence. Vaccination
renders the body no longer habita BILE
ior these germs. If, therefore, the en-
TIRE race could be given immunity
through vaccination time being allowed
LOT the destruction of such unproduc-
1--WE germs as had found temporary
lodgnent elsewhere than in the body.
smallpox would cease to exist It's
last germ killed, there is no more rca-
son to suppose that it would ever orici-
nate again, than there is to expect
the reappearance of the great aux. the
mammoth or the glyptodon. In theory
such an achievement might require
out month or year, but in reality a
century has not accomplished it,
The chief reason why vaccination
has failed of this ultimate ideal
achlevement -paradoxical though il
souhos-because vaccination has
operated so efficiently. so nearly has
1T banished smallpox that no one now
Tears that disease, and d general care
lessness now prevails regarding it..
NO better commentary IN this regard
could be made than mention
OF the fact that two phvsi-
cans recently contracted the disease
IN New York from a case which came
to a dispensary where they were in
attendance. If physicians fail to give
themselves immunity, what shall we
expect Of the public at large?
The other chief factor which CO.
operates with carelessness to keep
smallpox in existence is irnoraece.
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
cleanse the blood" 1t does not ma t.
ter much what they think, perhaps, so
long as they submit to the operation.
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 com
pulsory, a fine being imposed if
But vaccination in infancy is not
enough. 1t gives immunity for time.
but with growth the tissues change.
and after few years the body be-
comes again susceptible. Rc-vaccina-
ton must be practiced when the child
is q or : years Old and again during
adolescence. Even this third vaccina-
ton does not always give protection
throughout life. Immunity should be
tested every few years by repeated
vaccinations. and only persons who
have submitted to this test within
few years past can at
any time feel fully assured
that they are insusceptible to small
pox. Ignorance of this fact is most
potent in giving smallpox hold upon
the community. Not alone the ignor-
ant, 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 delus! onal belief, go about the
world almost us susceptible to small
pox as if they had never been vaccin-
ated. For such persons chiefly the
present words with their obvious
noral, are intended