The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-11-08
VAC1INATION---A
 GRUESO JOKE

Pa.,-the squalidly dirty-and once more the busy doctors bestir them selves to make we'll people sick in the fond hope of subsequently, keep ing them well.
 Their second victim within two weeks, a bright little girl of nine named Elizabeth Martin died of blood poisoning following their min istrations. This became known when Patrolrnan Luther Martin, at No. 6 Precinct Station, refused to be vac- cinated when ninety-eight other men had their. arms bared to the city physicians.
 ten days ago that she might nor take smallpox said Martin. '.It made her sick, and I just got word she died this morning. Martin was not com pelled to have his arm scraped-I quite a concession. otherwise they might have made ay-kill- ed two in one family.
 Dr. Harry L. Goehring, one of the most prominent physicians in the western end of the state, has started a merry war among the medics of the city by denouncing vaccination as, 'inhuman and unnecessary pr. Goehring declaresLand with justice that the compulsory vaccination of school children is criminal. He claimed that if the body is kept clean and the system maintained at normal, all the necessary precautions have been taken to safeguard against smallpox.
 DIR. WALTERS A VICTIM
 OF HIS OWN MEDICINE.
 This brought a hot reply from Dr. J. F. Edwards, chief of the depart directing the health bureau in the absence of Dr. E. R. Walters.
 This gentleman is in the pest-house, 8 victim of the scourge. Edwards de- c1ares everyone in the city must be vaccina ted. pr. Walters was vac fore he was stricken with smallpox; this is cited as an evidence of the value of vaccination
 It is also a good joke on the dough ty doctor, but he'll probably have to die in order to see the point. Nothing short Of this could possibly convince him of the inefficacy of vaccination in prev enting smallpox. The Health Department, at the urging of the big merchants. is sup pressing information as to actual con- ditions. and a censorship has been the Public Safety Building. Isn't this a grim Joke-%Safeto Building?" Too bad that the average human is too obtuse to see It, however. zs CHARLES EDWARD RUSSELL
 ON SUPPRESSION OF NEWS.
 This corroborates what Charles Ed ward Russell has told us in ''Busf- ness-the Heart of the Nation'' con- corning the suppression of news about the pest ship entering the port of New York during his editorship of q New York paper. Big Business put it's embargo upon the dissemination of the sad tidings, and laid it's pudgy finger on the iron lips of the Press. That was all there was to 1t. And they are repeating the performance in Pittsburg.
 But most arbitrary and tyrannieal'l of all is the enforced vaccination of every employe in the great stores. corporation offices, and business houses in the Pittsburg district On pain of instant and summary dismis- sal these unfortunate wage slaves are obliged to submit themselves to the danger of lifelong invandism or death, that the inconsistent fetish worship of lot of mediavai-minded doctors may be executed
 It never occurs to them that. so long as they themselves are vac- cinated, they are immune. DIRECTOR WALKERS SMALLPOX TWO WEEKS AFTER VACCINATION
 Director Walker and nis little ex- POI1SuCG W4tA lIdAAR0A AOA4OW4h8 N<E- cination proves this. And if he dies, and if scores out of the thousands who have been beautifully vaccinat- ed also die of snnallpox, 1t will be still more conclusive proof.
 Just how much more or less dan- gerous to a thorough vaccinated in- dividual a case of smallpox may prove itself is another deep and knotty point How much worse off, if any. are Dr. Walker and the other suffer CTS of smallpox following vaccination than if they had taken their smallpox straight-without the addition of a general septieaemia, and a reduction of their phagocytie ratio, and possi- bly, of their opsonic index?
 And again, why, if vaccination pre- vents conta zion of smallpox, the vac cinated need worry their heads about l the unregenerate unvaccinated?
 And finally why ghe true believers selves ad Hbitun, and leave those who choose not to introduce putrid ma teriaI from diseased calf into their l healthy systems go their own sweet way, and suffer the consequences of their sins of omission?
 It's all very complicated-especia l ly to those who know absolutely l nothing of the alarming prevalence of l smallpox in Japan. the most be-vac- cinated country in the world, and nothing concerning the method of creating innunity-which it doesn't do-as Mr. Dooley might say. DOES VACCINATION INEMUNIZE?
 And if it created an immunity, whether it would be thorough or par tial, permanent or esanescent. or if it doesn't last for even two weeks-as Director Walkers case proves-w hat. if any, value it has.
 It is metaphysical. The deeper one eoes the muddier one comes up-i like a German commentator on Shakespeare
 Munchausen proved his claim to have journeyed to the moon by proud ly showing the rope whereby he climbed to the horn Of that satellite The modern vaccinist proved his re-