New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1916-01-29

pliy>irian working in the dairy
districts OF England, was amazed
at the beautiful conplcNions OF
the nillmaids. He observed that
these girls were rarely attacked
BY smallpox, and that their ap-
lcalancc formed a striking con
trast 10 The pockcd faces OF per
son, IN other walks Of life. NJ
once. the idea flashed across his
NINA thai perhaps affection with
COW pos protected ti'"se dairy PEG
irle from the effects Of the more
dangerous smallpox. In order to
verify this casual ohscr} atlun hc
studied the disease carefully, and
WAS soon Convinced that these
sirls and others who Nd not get
smallpox had az one time or
another been infected with cow
poN. Finally, on May II, 1876,
jenucr vacriuJted James IMHpIa.
i Hoy Of ci1ht ears win The eiruS
Or infection, material taken from
coWpo> sore on Tie hand of
Sarah NcIln,s. ! dairlmaid. S,v-
eg9, week, later l.uurr rNpo,ed
tha 10y 10 act Al smallpox iHfct-
ton, bat the lad did not take the
d'@easc Again and again bc was
nocUiatcd with the virus If small
poN. and each time, as before. 40
clil effects followed During the
reXt two years he varcinatcd more
individuals. and they, like James
Phillips. when exposed to small
poX Infection, did not beconc vie
TINS Of the disease. Jenn-'r nance
this new principle vaccination.
from the Latin word vacca, IGean-
ING cow.
The Beginnings of
Vaccination.
He was finally convinced Of the
value of his discovery. and made /,
it known TO the medical profcs-
sion in 1893. At first doctors
were very doubtful, but after "A
few years many recognized its val
rc. In Il very short time vacci-
nation was generally practiced in
all civilized countries.
Soon after the value Of yacci-
nation was made known to the
world. wonderful results were oh
served from its use. In 1896
about Is deaths ort Of every hun
dred in London were due to small
pox. Ten years later the figure
was 6 out of every hundred. In
1916 it was on''- 3.
The effect of vaccination is cvi-
dent from a study Of conditions IN
various countries. In England
and Wales vaccination was COM
pulsory from 1853 to 1870, but
was not strictly enforced. Dur
ing this period many people died
from smallpox. the number Of
deaths often going as high as 80
out Of every 100000 inhabitants. ,
In 1871. however. compulsory
was strictly carried |
out. The death rate at once
dropped to 9 in 100000 peyple in
1873; 3 in 1890, and less than l
in every 1OO,0M in 1890. It has
at about this point since /
that time.
The Effect of Vaccination.
Vaccination was not compul-
sDry in Prussia before 1874, and
conditions were similar to those
passed and enforced the number
Of deaths from smallpox dropped
to about 5 in 100000 inhabitants
in 1881. and to less than ! in 1856.
Since that time it has not been
greater than the latter Fl CURE. In
Austria on the other hand. where
no steps Were taken during this
period, the death rate from small
1oX remained high. In 1891 vac
cination was more efficiently car
ried ont, and the number of deaths
from smallpox fell rapidly.
Although vaccination proved its
worth. full knowledge Of its use
was not at hand Immediately upon
immediately unon its discovery.
In 1870. after period Of relative
freedom from the disease. fresh
epidemic broke ont. It Spreak
over Europe. taking the lives Of
thousands. In explanation. one
should remember that when vac
'cination was dis covered the death
rate from smallpox anon. chill
dren was very hirh. Consequent
" - yvoc or,,liaI aepoa;orI,- +,