Paragould soliphone., 1921-08-12

There is and has been one sub feet fertile for argument for more than a century and that is the subiect of the practical utility of inoculation, often designated as .vaccination' The term vaccina- tion is often applied to all kinds of inoculation, but in the strictest sense of the term it should be ap- piled only to the introduction Of virus for the prevention of small pox
 hloculation or vaccination is one of the oldest methods of preventive medicines known to man. 1t IS often thought that Edward Jenner was the originator or discoyerer or inoculation for smallpox, but this is far from being true. The commit nication of natural smallpox to the healthy, in order to protect them from the natural disease, reaches back far into antiquity. If the Ariharya Veda is to be credited it was practiced among the Indians. the Grahmins performing the opera tion or ceremony as part of d religious rite. The operation, as said before, was performed by the Brahmins who employed pus pro- duced hy those who had been inocu- lated with natural smallpox one o1c hn nf these secondary operations. The manner of doing it was that they rubbed the place selected for the vaccination with wool until red, scratched the place several times with knives for space about an inch long, and laid upon the scratch ed, place cotton soaked with vario- lous pus and moistened with water from the Ganges. As is known by many the water of Ganges has ever been held sacred by the people of. India. The scientific value was of course unknown to them. Common observation had taught them that persons so treated and those who had suffered from the fever pro- duced thereby never had the small pox. Before inocaiation prelim- mary course of diet, leading up to the preparation, was used. This dieting lasted for four weeks. The vaccination was performed in open air and the persons so vaccinated or ineculated sprinkled himself night and morning with cold water until fever came on and then it was left off. Many of these vaccinations were successful and so great were the ravages of smallpox that the Brahmins travelled from place to, place vaccinating people.
 The Chinese had method of vaccination, known as ''pock sowing and it was practiced by them about 1000 years before Christ. The method was to introduce into the nasal cavity of children, from three td six years old, pledget of cotton saturated with various pus. The tender membrane of the nose of course being susceptible to the ab sorption of the virus. This was a very early period in the history of vaccination.
 The Arabians had "Pox sale" which was nothing more than the exchange of raisins for pus taken from person who was suffering from smallpox and using the same for inoculation with needles for the prevention of smallpox. The Cir cassians used a method of inocula- tion with needles and this was some times done upon the cheek, ankle, over the heart and other places of the body In North Africa incisions were made between the thumb and index finger. Among some of the negroes inoculation was in the nose.
 In Denmark, Scotland and other European countries inoculation or vaccination was practiced at an early period. The Greeks used at Constantinople inoculation at an early period and their methods had q tremendous influence on the West.
 These Introductory statements are made for the purpose of showing that vaccination is no new thing. We know for certainty that it
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