The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-03-04

been v~accinated. OF the remaining 81
cases, % were adults, showing faint.
poor. or irregular scars. claimed to be
evidence Of attempted vaccination in in
fancy or c~hildhood-the most recent BE-
ing twenty-three years old. Only two out
Of the III cases exhibited scars OF sue
cessful vaccination.
Vaccination was made compulsory in
the Chicago schools in 1867. From 1867
TO 1851. there were but II cases Of small
box. After 1881 there was not a single
case until last winter. when four cases
developed. These children had been
passed on fraudulent certificates, as
neither OF them could present a scar.
IN St. Paul, between May !. 1899. and
May Ia, 1901. there were 104 cases Of
small pOX. OF these, but two had ever
been yaccinated, one - ani one - years
before Dr. T. NJ. Hall, Of Minneapolis.
treated 191 cases between January : and
MAY 5, 1901. In one only could signs
of vaccination be found. Individual eX-
periences Of this character could be
quoted indefinitely.
The statement is frequently made That
smallpox has become a much milder dis
ease than it formerly was and that vac-
cination, therefore, is less necessary.
Facts certainly do not bear out this
statement. 1t is quite true that during
the recent epidemic the death rate has
been extremely low and the illness has
been mild. 1t has, however, not been
universally so. 1t is true Of all Epidemic
diseases that the prevailing type varies
considerably in different years and small
pox has certainly not shown itself Of
late in its most virulent forms. Another
factor must be considered as accounting
for this mildness. 1t is noticeable that
the term variolOid is now but seldom
used. All attacks are called smallpox,
a tendency 10 tie commended. 1t re-
mains true, however, that a great num-
Der Of cases nave been reported as small
pox which in the past would have been
described as varoiloid. In those who
have never been vaccinated, the disease
III most epidemics is almost if not quite
as dangerous as it ever has been. II
the London Smallpox Hospital, between
1915 and 1900. all patients of course be-
ing un~vaccinated, the mortality rate was
80. per cent. In 1853 Marsden found that
the rate for the previous Is years was
35.55 for the unvaccinated. In a recent
study of smallpox, WEIGH reports 1,512
cases in unvaccinated persons, with a
death rate of over SO per cent. In young
children the rate was much higher than
this. Hart gives the death rate of un-
yaccinated patients as fully 40 per cent.
In the Sheffield epidemic of 1897, the
death rate was 54.2 per cent. In the
Gloucester epidemic it was 22.3 per ccni
for all cases, smallpox and varioloid.
The statement sometimes heard that
scarlet fever is as dangerous as small
pOX is unWarranted. After an extensive
study Of American and European cases,
~ =. 49, L. $40 > 49, z-~c
scarlet fever is from Il per cent to IA
per cent, and from 20 per cent to 80 per
cent under five years. This is less than
half the most favorable rate given for
smallpox. The sequels of scarlet fever,
though often grave, are not to be COM
pared with those of smallpox. A hun
dred years ago tWo-thirds of the inmates
OF the blind aSylums lost their sight
from smallpox. Blindness, deafness, lung
disease, tendency to tuberculosis, gen.
eral ruin of the constitution, and person
al disagreement are the common results.
In fact, the ravages of the disease can
not be estimated by the number it kills.
Experience of more than a century has
confirmed and strengthened the teachings
of Jenner, except upon the single point
of the duration of immunity. Some OF the
lessons taught by this experience may
be summarized as follows.
/. The first lesson cannot Be better
stated than in the words OF the Berlin
Board of Health: Vaccination in III
fancy, renewed at the end of childhood.
renders an individual practically as sato
from death from smallpox as if that dis
ease had been survived in childhood, an
almost as safe from attack"
2. The duration of the immunity CON
fCrred by vaccination is variable. In
many Individuals vaccination in infancy.
and vaccination in childhood is sufficient
for life protection. In a limited number.
immunity is lost in five or six years. 1t
is never possible to know with certainty
to which class an individual belongs. In
the face of an epidemic, therefore, vac
c~inatlon of all who have not been vacci-
mated within five or six years, is giving
what the lawyers call the benefit of rea-
sonable doubt. Every one who has been
vaccinated IN infancy and childhood
should be vaccinated not less than once
in adult life.
3. The immunity conferred by vaccina-
tion is in direct proportion to the thor
oughness with which it is performed, and
this is shown with considerable accuracy
by the character and number of the re-
sulting scars.
a Vaccination in infancy alone is not
sufficient to wholly prevent smallpox
among the adult pOpOuiaton.
;. optional vaccination has not proved
sufficient to protect the community from
smallpox. Compulsory vaccination is a
measure warranted by more than a cen
fury of experience.
6. The mild compulsion enforced in this
country, by requiring vaccination or evil
dence of its recent performance upon ad-
mission to the public schools should have
the hearty support of parents and physi-
clans alike.
VACCINATION STATISTICS.
Some vaccination statistics of English
critics were given by DR.. Boyd at a re-
cent meeting of the Hunterian Society.
In the term "vaccinated' were included
all showing any influence whatever of
vaccination, a very liberal allowance.
The figures are epitomized in the fol-
lowing table: