The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-06-22
: Vaccination and Disease

written for The Times Dispatch.)
Varloia. smallpox, is an acute, infec-
tious disease, characterized by a gen
eral eruption and constitutional mani
lestations. 1t is supposed to have ori
gnated n Africa IN prehistoric times.
II besiegsd the. Abyssinian army in
Mecca In 571, and from there 1t spread
over the entire Eastern Europe. BY
\ the year 1900 smallpox had become an
epidemic throughout Europe Between
1856 and 1857 there We're numerous out
numbered their victims by the tens of
/ thousands. From 1861 to 1900 there
died In the city of London an average
OF over 1000 persons yearly from small
culation Of DR.. Lettson, the average
death rate from smallpox nlone was
1920 out Of every million of the popu-
htion-a death rate which on the pres
an average of nearly $4,000 deaths from,
smallpox alone. 1t Is estimated that
pet zee !, TOO and 1900 an average of
pox throughout the world
It remained for Jenner, an English
lpractitioner, to give to the world in
ls9s. his discovery of the prevention
Parliament Of England testified 70 the
power OF this measure by voting him
$4,000 in 1902 and 100000 in 1907 to
carry on further his Investigations.
cello. Va. May Is, 1906. to .Ienner, says
in part: Medicine has never before
produced any single improvement of
such utility. You have erased from
the calendar of human affections one
rof its greatest scourges." Jenner was
led To this development by tradition
| believed rear his home in Gloucester
shire by the country folks that persons
who aclrired the cowpov by milking
cows affected with the disease were
safe fr"rr smallpox. 1t was on this pre-
sumption that Jenner commenced his
searches. Human virus is not SO
good as vaccine virus on account of
the possible contamination by disease
of which the human body Is heir.
Cows. therefore, are inoculated with
Ethese vesicIes is now used for vacci-
lnatton. Should the present STRAINS"
die out, 1t Is possible to develop cow
Ipox In the COW by incubation with
Iject; otherwise the practical disappear
i apce, of ,cowpox- would be serious
matter, should the present strains; be-
come eNhausted-o, t:t. 900.
nated-tour. tojsix months Of age. The
best place for vaccinationtis the thigh
or arm. The place chosen is Garrett lly
cleansed. and fine needle scarities the
| skin and the glycerinated sterile vac
cine virus is rubbed In In the small
area and a protective dressing applied
At times. most rarely by mixed infec-
ton. there is Inflammation OF the arm.
4
tic dressing. A good scar Is one which
is round or oval, below the level of the
skin. pitted. and looks as II 1t had
| been stamped In the skin. Revaccina-
six or seven years.
| Opposition to Vaccination.
The Dangers of vacclnationIVolght
many, with q total of thirty-lve deaths.
Recently he reports 100000 vaccina-
tons, with hut one death. Hodgetts
reports 10000 vaccinations done in the
Province of Ontario. Canada. without
death. Here in this city OF Rich
mated by order of the Board of Health.
There was not death from vaccina-
ton nor case OF severe complication.
such as erysipelas or blood-poisontng
or mixed infection of the arm, requir-
ing operation or amputation. This vac
cination was done by the city physi-
TEN Is inoculated with a virus whose
potency is SC great as to immunize the
patient from the ravages Of such a
ception of this virus into the system
must be attended by constitutional
phenomena.
| The characterization author, whose
Ethe irrational method of giving to the
child and adult the same dose. Do
a small shrub and large oak tree
take up the same amount Of nourish-
those of an, adult require the same
amount OF oxygen? Do a small
sponge and one twenty times as large,
when dropped in the water. absorb the
paper further states that vaccination is
not carried out in the city of Leices-
ter, England. but the writer happens
to find in a system OF nedieine edited
that in Leicester, England. vaccination
| is carried cut, and among ,the $4,000
population during the years 1892 and
1929 there were o57 cases OF slnia!ipo n
We're vaccinated, with two Deaths and
HI We're unvaccinated, With twenty
! two deaths. This seems at variance
Mn the statement J, he te. makes k that
having practically banished smallpox
entirely and reduced its death rate by
abandoning the practice OF vacclnn-
ton"
cination that il is useless. The Mlnister
of War in France In 1890 says: IT can
not forget that In 1870 and 1871 the
cinated ana revacclnated men. and only
lost 45o men from smallpox In the two
years, whereas our army. far less num-
erous, had from the same cause a loss
Of 2a.40o men, many OF whom the pres
Gent application OF vaccination might
have saved for the service of France"
In Prussia between the years 1877
and 1879. vaccination was voluntary.
was vaecinated. During these years
there died CT smallpoS an average Of
43,l per cent. persons per year per each
100000 of the reputation. In 1873 a
and enforced. and from 1874 to 1905
there died Of sms lpoS yearly average a6
900 Of population Roughly. estimated.
deaths. from smalipoX We're forty times
more FREQUENT before than after vncct-
nation became compulsory. According
to the reports OF the British Royal
Vaccination. Commission, In s,7i4 cases
Of Vaccination. there was mortality
OF s per cent. In 2.32l cases of UNI,
vacclnated. there was u mortality Of
IS per cent, This seems to the writer
to DO sufficiently evident to require
no further emphasis.
1T Is also held by the antl-vaeclnn-
zionist that It Is. an Invasion OF the
rights OF the Individual. This may bs
granted IL the individual lives alone
and does nor come in contact with any
other human being but. since be does,
1t Is the provocative and duty Of healtR