Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-01-29
FALSE STATISTICS EXPOSED.

Attention is directed to the statistics
furnished by an ogden correspondent,
OF the mortality in the German and
French armies. so often cited by discl-
pies Of compulsory vaccination They
have been 80 frequently published that
1t r. astonishing to see the figures dem
onstrated 10 be fictitious cited, IN the
twentieth century by medical board,
as authority for their theories The
figures quoted In the circular Of the
State board Of health have been ac-
knowledged incorrect so freely, that II
Is difficult to believe that anyone who
has studied the subject could remain so
ignorant as the writer OF the circular Is.
unless he is'deslgnedly deceptive.
In June 1883, Sir Lyon Playfair used
the same fictitious figures in the Britt
ish House Of Commons. Investigation
showed that instead Of coming from
official records. they originated IN
newspaper article and were thoroughly
incorrect. The State board OF health
says;
"One Of the best protected countries
Is Germany, where a law was passed I'm
1874 making vaccination obligatory In
the first year OF life. and also re-yac-
cnation obligatory at the tenth year.
This law In Germany resulted from the
epidemic IN 1871 with rs 10000 deaths
from smallpox among "a population In
which vaccination had been allowed 20
die out Prior 70 1874 the yearly loss
was 1900 % 1000 The present rate is
less than ZIG per year. and these cases
occur on the borders. where there is "a
constant mingliug with the poorly vac
cinated OF other countries.
During the Franco German war the
unavoidable mingling OF the two peo-
pie spread smallpox. which was epidem-
&C. The Germans had made vaccination
optional for It's civil population. but
compulsory for It's army the French
having made Il optional alike Tor both
army and population. The French lost
from smallpox $4,000 men. the Germans
27s. Occupying the same hospital tents.
with the same surroundings the French
wounded lost many from smallpox, the
Germans not any. The French prison
ers OF war died by the hundreds. while
their German guards who had been
vaccinated and re-vacclnated. suffered
not az ALL
The story was publicly retracted In
the London Daily News as long ago as
August; 1883. having been traced up and
proved to be false. The following facts
ore worthy OF notice in this connection:
Herr steiger Feb. 1883, az Berne.
gave the German loss from smallpox as
3.l62. the French as 23i 400; by June 1883.
Playfair got 10 down 90 .6l and by the
time the British Medical Journal pub
llshed 81 the second time In 1895 % had
dropped 90 %. and $500 respectively
The French army was perfectly
vaccIn3ted but the militia was not
reyaccinated before this campaign.
DR. Bayard says Reconciliation origin
ated 10 France. every soldier is re-yac-
cinated on his entrance into regiment
our army knows no exceptions.
Or. Oidtmann, stan surgeon. says:
Shortly before the war the whole
French army was re-vacclnated. This
general vaccination tended rtther TO
extend smallpox than 20 protect against
IL Dr. Colon, in charge OF the small
pox hospital. Blcetre, says. The NOR
tally was much less in the militia who