The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-10-16

orally. Many physicians refuse to
practice it at all unless they have
personal knowledge of the constitution
Of the patient. That death is some
times due to its practice is admitted
by those favoring it, but this is always
the result of accident. According TO the
German commission previously referred
TO, mo probable increase of any par
ticular disease has taken place as the
consequence of vaccination" Any open
sore is liable to Infection. Death is
frequently caused by no more serious
accident than running a silver into
ones finger Considering the immense
number of vaccinations performed and
with the same constant danger of in
lection as TO any wound, 1t is quite ex-
traordinary that so few fatalities occur.
Want of care and absence of antiseptic
precautions or use of human lymph
are causes of infection or poisoning
Many fatalities have been traced to
improper cleansing of the vaccinating
needle. 1t has been definitely deter
mined that only animal lymph should
be used. The great advantage of the
use of calf lymph is that it sweeps
away any suspicion of the incubation
of other diseases. Syphilis cannot be
communicated to animals. Lymph is
now being prepared from carefully Sc
lected calves that are quarantined and
closely observed for some length of
time before vaccination, and before
placing the lymph on the market the
animal should be killed and tests made
upon the body to insure its absolute
healthiness.
DR.. Cory, the director of the animal
vaccination station of the local Govern
ment board, in his evidence before the
royal commission of England states
that from 1SS2-S9 $4,000 vaccinations
were performed with calf lymph and
that there were only eight deaths. OF
these only two could be reasonably at
tributed to vaccination, namely, two
cases of wound disease-cellulitis and
erysipelas. This mortality is probably
not even so high as that resulting from
common cuts and scratches.
The case Of the loss of six children
out of fOrty-two vaccinated by DR..
Andua in 1885 is so frequently referred
to by Observation-Disclosures, is explained
by p. Bronardel of Paris, who shows
that death was due to the use Of hu-
man virus That Leicester England
has prohibited vaccination fer years,
and has escaped a scourge is due
wholly to the fact that it is sur
rounded by population which is pro-
tected by vaccination.
The evidence so far leads to the con-
clusion that the best defense of com
munity against smallpox is not the re-
peal Of the law of compulsion, but in
adopting the following measures: The
use of calf lymph only. compulsory pri-
mary vaccination in infancy. occasional
revaccination. isolation Of imported
cases Of disease. disinfectiOn and sani-
tation. The present agitation will tend
to educate the people of the communi-
ty, will make physicians more careful
in their selection Of lymph. care
of instruments and cleanliness Of
wounds.
The existence Of the disease in the
United States to-day is due in the main
to individuals who resist attempts for
the protection of the population. No
man is responsible TO himself alone for
the care of his own body. An unvac-
cinated group of persons in a COM
munity are a menace TO the health of
the entire population. and il is con-
tended that no enc has the right to
endanger the life of the entire commu-
nifty by refusing to comply with the
law.
American liberty should grant to
every citizen freedom of individual be-
lief and action, but there are times
when that freedom should be, to GER
tain degree, restricted.