New-York tribune., 1900-12-09
VACCINATIONS VIRTUES.
z1iK MOST EFFECTIVE FOE OF SMALL
PoX
MODERN OBJECTIONS TO TIE PRACTICE AMI
HOW THEY HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH

a
TERRIBLE scourge it was few hundred years
ago In the Middle Ages and long afterward |
the population of Europe was literally decimated
year after year by this disease. From one
quarter 10 one-third of the victims died immedi-
stely, and those who survived bore traces of
their illness for the remainder of their lives
There is probably little exaggeration in the
statement that two or three centuries ago a
smooth face was as uncommon in England as a |
pitted one is now.
The only two means which have been used
with appreciable success in fighting this pesti-
lence are variOlatiOn and vaccination Both op-
erations involve the introduction Of the virus OF
disease into the patients blood but the former
utilizes that of smallpox. while the latter en-
piOys the poison Of cOWpOx The word 'Vario-
latiOn," it may be remarked, is derived from
VariOla," the technical name of smallpox, while
vaccination finds its root in the Latin word for
COW, "vacca." How long the Turks resorted to
VariolatiOn before Western Europe had knOwl-
edge of the fact cannot be told definitely, but |
Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, who accompanied
her husband TO COnstantinople, whittier he went
as Ambassador in 17l6, observed the custom
there, and was so strongly impressed with its
value that she had her son and daughter submit
TO the treatment in l721. Thereafter for 120
years the system practised openly in Eng
land In 1910 Parliament prohibited it.
JENNERS DISCOVERY
Jenner's famous discovery that persons who
contracted cowpox while engaged in milking |
never had smallpox dates from 1896. II led to a |
radical departure from the Oriental method OF
incubation, because the bovine disorder is much /
milder than the human and is non-infectous /
Vaccination came into vogue more than half a
century before Pasteur enlightened the world re-
garding the bacterial origin of many malades
and almost a hundred years before Behring's |
in
diphtheria by the of antitoxins, and yet /
Jenner and the Turks utilized the same principle /
the latter. In both VariOlation and Vaccina-
ton the subject is made proof against disease
by inOcuation with the attenuated virus of that
disorder; but why person who has Deen pro-
tected against one disease should thus be shield
ed from the other is not even now fully under
stood SandersOn, CrOOkshank and COpeman
have succeeded in identifying the bacillus OF
cowpox while numerous announcements have
been made that the micrObe Of smallpox has
also been found. The latter statements. how
ever, are not generally credited. DIR. George
Newman, demonstrator of bacteriology in Kings
College. London. in his recent work on bacteria.
remarks: Neither in smallpox nor cowpox is
the nature Of the cOntagiOn really known"
Although medical have not been alto
gether unanimous regarding the virtues Of vac
cinatiOn, the great majority OF the profession
now look upon the practice one of the most
benehcent in the healing art. It is only fair TO
concede that the reduction in the mortality from
smallpox since the sixteenth century l. due in
some measure to a general improvement in
popular hygiene and public sanitation, but there
IS an immense amount of evidence that Vacci-
nation has also contributed largely to the result,
A. indeed, il is not entitled to the greater share
of the credit Here are a few facts that point
Ia that direction:
In Holland a law making vaccination Of school
children compulsory went into effect in 1873.
Prior TO that time the average death rate among
the children in that country from smallpox was
eighty nine in every lG0eo0 For the ensuing six
teen years the average was seven in looooo
Prussia initiated similar system in 1873. The
average death rate during the seven years inn
mediately preceding this enactment was eighty
eight in 100000 During the next twelve years
A ranged from one TO six! Meantime in Austria
where there no such thing as compulsory
vaccination the death rate averaged CO..
DECREASE IN SMALLPOX DEATH RATE
Evidence which in some respects is more con-
elusive than that just given may be found in
certain ratios observed in epdemics Of small
pox. Sheffield, England, had such visitation in
lss7-'Ss At this time 10 per cent of the un-
yaccinated children were attacked and only one
half of 1 per cent of those who had been vacci-
mated Leicester went through an ordeal OF like
.t..o.,.- I'm 1902 -sQ3 and had tWenty-one fatal