Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-05-22
COMPULSORY VACCINATION.
Communicated
Editor Gazette:


proposed introduction Of forcible vac
cinaion. Fortunately for the COM
munity, or for the members of the
City Council, or both, that portion of
the proposed health law compelling
all persons residing in Alexandria to
be vaccinated was stricken out and
while the portion requiring children
to be vaccinated before permitting
them to attend the public schools
was left in the law, it was done so
by reason of the fact that the State
law already provides for such vac
cination.
There were some statements made
during the discussion that deserve not
ice at this time. Among other state
ments or perhaps l should say mis-
statements, was the one that vac
cinaton has leSsened the ravagcS OF
smallpox. This is one of the stock
arguments of the advocates of vaccin-
alton, and should not be passed by
without some attention. The pro-
vaccinists always assume that the
mere statement that vaccination has
lessened smallpox is sufficient with
out a statement of the facts to prove
the assertion. As a matter of fact.
there is considerable evidence to
prove that instead of vaccination les
SEEMING smallpox, it has on the con-
trary increased it. 1t is claimed by
some authorities that smallpox actu-
ally increases after vaccination. 1t
is a we'll known fact that smallpox had
never been considered serious dis
ease in England prior to the introduce
ton of vaccination, and that great
variolous epidemics followed its intro
duction there. 1t is not necessary to
go back to the 18th century for facts
with which to combat this claim of the
pro-vaccinists however, as we have
sufficient evidence today to disprove
the claim.
Thes most thoroughly vaccinated
country on the globe today is with
out question, Japan. A law passed IN
1872 made it compulsory for every
person in the empire to be vaccinated.
This law was followed by another in
1885 compelling re-vaccination every
five to seven years. In pursuance
with the provisions of this law, it is
said that over 25,000,000 vaccinations
took place in Japan within the fol-
lowing seven years, or 1886 to 1892.
Did this act as a preventive to small
poX? If vaccination prevents at
ALL it would certainly seem that small
pox would have been we'll eliminated
by this wholesale vaccination. The
facts however show the contrary.
During the seven years referred to
there were over 100000 cases of small
pox in Japan, 10000 of which proved
fatal. 1t did not stop here, however,
for from 1892 to 1897 there were over
lac, 900 cases, of which 10000 proved
fatal. The pro-vaccinists had in the
meantime got to work again and
law which was enacted in 1896 pro-
vidcd for compulsory vaccination and
re-vaccination Of every person in ia
pan, regardless of his or her condl-
ton in life every five years. Did
this law prevent smallpox? Did 1t
even check it? Let us glance at the
facts. In the very next year follow
ing the enactment of this drastic law
there were over 10000 cases Of small
pox, of which 1000 proved fatal. Dur
ing the year 1908 there were officially
reported to have been nearly 10000
cases and over 5000 deaths. So far
as vaccination acting as a defense
against smallpox, it would seem,
therefore, that there is absolutely
nothing to the argument.
IF, however, it could be proven that
vaccination does really prevent small
pox, the position of the advocates OF
vaccination would still be untcnable,
because it is admitted by it's advo-
Gates that vaccination imparts dis
ease, jeopardizes life and limb, and
in many cases destroying health and
life. This fact was admitted on the
floor of the City Council last night
by some of the advocates Of vacclna-
ton, when they admitted that in the
case of aged persons it might mean
sickness, loss of limbs, or even death.
"There are, in my judgment, valid
reasons for believing that the inJur-
ious effects of vaccination, when in
ficted Unfortunately upon the en-
tire healthy population, are vastly
more dangerous and destructive to
: the public health and life than cpl
denies of smallpox are, for the rea-
son that various epidemics before