Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-04-27
AUrnoRlrY ON VACCINATION

shown 20 De the only safe preventive
of smallpox. recognized and approved
by medical science, and boy govern
ments throughout the world simply
ignores some well known facts. For in-
stance: In Switzerland the successful
agitation against compulsory vaccin-
alton was led boy one Of the most prom
iuent professors In hygiene, and IN
Great Britain, Germany and elsewhere.
medical science Is rotreatlng from the
old positions on the question.
The opinion Of Dr. Joseph Hermann,
head physician OF the department Of
skin diseases OF the Imperial hospital,
should have some weight. lie IS quoted
In the Westminster Review for October
1888, as follows
1T This hospital experienced has inn
posed on me the duty Of taking an ac-
tive part In The bold and spirited 0n-
slauRht on vaccination which Is now be-
ing carried on this refers 20 the year
1871 IN Switzerland, England, and other
countries. and Of yielding such assist
ance as am able 10 give TO the unrav-
cling Of o question which concerns In
an equal degree the interests Of Nclence
and humanity ] am com
WINGED that vaccination is the greatest
mistake and delusi0n IN the science OF
medicine. a fanciful Illusion I'm the mind
Of the dlsc0yerer, a phenomenal ape
partition devoid of scientific foundation.
and wanting In an the conditions Of
scientific possibility
The same high authority on skin dis
eases does not hesitate 10 state that
yaccinated persons, bearing unmlstak-
able marks Of the process on their arms.
frequently have continent smallpox.
while unvaccinated people have Il In the
mildest form. And he continues;
"These observations. resting upon the
most indubltable truth. appear 10 have
given occasion 20 the distinction be-
tween a genuine and a modified small
poX (varicella). a distinction evidently
made with "a view OF maintaining at all
hazards The dogma 10 which y0ccInators
have committed themselves, as 20 the
Influence OF vaccination in modifying
outbreaks OF the epidemic These Chi
merical subtloties. belonging 20 the cat
egory Of chimeras. have long since
proved TO be illusory IN reality there
o. no such distinction. for even In
mild epidemic OF varicella COR chicken
poXl a careful observer win be able TO
discover amongst the sufferers fully de-
yel0ped pustules of smallpox, possessing
every attribute OF the true and genu-
Inc pustule In my opinion. the severity
and extent of smallpox outbreaks de-
pend on the season. the dwelling and
the mode of life OF those attacked. and
especially on the care that is taken OF
the state Of the skim
Vaccinators rely chiefly on statistics
whenever they condescend 20 argue
their case. The following official figures
are quoted In the Westminster Review,
They DO not furnish much Of a basis
for the extraordinary claims made for
an antlquated operation:
In Berlin. IN 1870, there were 1887
cases OF smallpox, Of which 1,O6i had
been yacclnated 127 revaccinated, and
only 227 were unyacoinated or 6.2i3
smallpox patients who entered the
General hospital at Vienna, in the
twenty years from 1886 20 1856. 5.217 had
been vacclnated Out OF !. $50 cases IN
the Wiede hospital from August. tsss
TO the end Of 1864. only twenty were
unvaccinated. In England. during the
years 1872 TO 1866 there died OF small
pox lOi2l3. Of whom fully 81 per cent
had been yacclnated.
II there is any fact established by
thorough investigation into this sub
iect, e Is that vaccination has not
proved 70 be an that once was hoped
for IL. But science has instead found
means, In sanitary measures, etc, that
more than compensate FOR this disop-
polntment Facts are stubborn
things" They cannot be sneered away.
Nor win they be changed by any
amount Of abuse, Those who evince
a mania for injecting cultures Of dis
ease into the systems Of their fellow
men, Notwithstanding the serious re-
suits that sometimes have followed,
viii never be looked up TO with oonn-
dence as guides In matters OF life and
death. IN a community where purity Of
body and soul are regarded as Of para
mount Importance. both for present and
| future generations