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

due haste and insuficiency inferiority
or failure of lymph in times of panic
The abolition of compulsion would
the accumulation of unprotected per-
sons in a community so that in the
panic produced by an epidemic vaccin-
alton would be overtaxed, with serious
results, and there would be an INSULT
cient supply of lymph. The ignorant
and the improvident neglect vaccina-
ton, as they do other prudent meas
ures that bear remote results. Many
lof the medical fraternity contend that
it might be well to do away with COM
pulsion, as pestilence is one of the
agencies by which overpopulation is
regulated and that it usually picks off
the weak and those not well fitted to
battle with life.
Statistics showing theleficacy of vac
cination seem TO be conclusive, but it
will be seen that they differ widely
from those introduced bv anti-vaccina-
tiopists. Both factions are positive
that figures presented by them are cor
rect Regard is certainly due to the
opinions of such eminent authorities as
served on the German Vaccination
Commission of 1884. In their opinion
the credit of diminishing mortality in
Germany was due to compulsory re-
vaccination. Most important evidence
is shown in reports compiled in Eng
land and Wales. Before the introduce
ton &C vaccination there were 5000
deaths in every million of the popuIa-
IN 1900 this
disease caused only fifteen deaths in
England. and the annual number of
deaths in ten years, 1SS1-90. inclusive.
was one-seventieth part only of the
death rate Of pre-vaccination times. 1t
is held that vaccination not only great
" diminished the number stricken. but
that it greatly Influenced the death
rate among those attacked In Shelf
field, in the outbreak of 1SS1-SS, of 4151
vaccinated patients 200 died, or as per
cent: of $50 unvaccinated patients PA
died, or 496 per cent. II the death rate
of vaccinated children under ten years
of age, during this same epidemic, had
been at the same rate as that of the
unvaccinated there would have been
440o deaths, whereas there were only 3
such deaths.
In Prussia the mortality from small
pox in the year 1885 was q per every
100, 900 persons, while in 1885, vacciR-
ton and revaccination being Obliga-
tory the death rate was reduced to but
O.39 per 1000 inhabitants. Only one
great epidemic has occurred since vac
cination was made obligatory-that Of
1871-72-while in the preceding century
there were 81 epidemics. The prO-vac-
cinationists do not claim that the mild
ness of modern epidemics is due solely
to vaccination. Notification. isolation
and disinfection are admitted as sup
Elementary measures. while the sever
ity and extent depend largely upon
the season, dwelling, mode of life and
care of the skin.
This is conceded to be a different age
from that of Jenner, and yet certain
conditions exist now that are condu-
Give to the spread of the disease that
did not exist in his time. Population
has increased, particularly in cities,
means of locomotio1 have multiplied
and there is a closer commercial rela-
ton between nations than ever before,
so that injection is easily transferred
from one country to another.
Some persons should not be submit
ted to the operation of vaccination, as
it's success depends largely upon the
condition of the blood and system gen.