Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-07-07
VACCINATION AND SMALLPOX.
Reasons why Jenner's Preventive Has
Partially Failed.

II the truth we're known it would
probably appear that vaccination has
not accomplished all that Jenner
hoped for it. Seeing his discovery
so universally accepted at the outset,
seeing it nip epidemics of smallpox
in the bud, aud so vastly reduce the
mortality within few years, he
would have been strangely unimag-
| NATIVE 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 hope found ample
warrant The human body furnishes
the only soil, so far as known. on
which the germs of this disease can
multiply and retain their viIulence,
Vaccination renders the body no
| longer habitable for these germs. II
| therefore the entire race could be
given immunity through vaccination,
time being allowed for the destruc-
tion of such unproducttve germs as
had found temporary lodgment else
where than in the body, smallpox
would cease TO exist It's 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 glyptodon. In
theory such an achievement might
require but month or year, but in
reality a century has not accom-
| plished II.
The chief reason why vaccination
has failed of this ultimate ideal
achievement is-paradoXical though
it sounds-because vaccination has
operated so efficiently. says Harper's
Weekly. So nearly has it banished
small -pox that no one fears that dis
ease, and a general carelessness pre-.
walls regarding it. No better com
mentary 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 dispensary where
they We're in attendance. II physi-
clans fail to give themselves immun-
ity what shall we expect OF the pub
lie at large.
The other chief factor which CO.
operates 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
may find many persons who sup.
pose they are being vaccinated to
. - Ell,I - gN
matter much what they think. per-
haps, SO long as they submit TO tue
operation. But many decline the
boon. and these Of course remain
susceptible TO the disease. Our laws
offer protection 10 all, but force IL
upon no one. Abroad, in many places
vaccination is compulsory, a fine be-
ing imposed il any child is found IN.
vaccinatcd at a certain age Ihu re-
suit thus aimed at IS accomplished
in this country ia a more pleasant
way by prohibiting unvaccinated
children from attendance upon the
public schools. This measure. to-
! gether with the constant solicita.
tions Of health officers. results In
the vaccination Of a very large pro
portion of infants.
But vaccination in infancy Is not
enough. 1t gives immunity for a
time, but with growth the tissues
change, and after a few years the
body becomes again susceptible Re-
vaccination must be practiced when
the child is six or seven years old,
and again during adolescence Even
this third vaccination does not
always give protection throughout
life. Immunity should be tested
every few years by repeated yaccina.
tions. and only persons who have
submitted to this test within q few
years past can at any time feel fully
assured that they are unacceptable
to smallpox. Ignorance Of this fact
is most potent IN giving smallpox a
hold upon the community. Not alone
the ignorant, but many people Of in
telIigence suppose that so long as the
scar of previous vaccination ap.
pears they are immune, and with
| confidence born OF this dclusiOnal
belief, go about the world almost as
susceptible to smallpox as II they
had never been yaccinated. For such
persons chiefly the present words
with theirO obvious moral are intended.