Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1928-06-21

Communication

TO the Editor Of the Putnam Patriot.
We are indeed grateful 20 the Put
nam Patriot and 'Would-Be Convert"
for this opportunity to answer pub
licly the questions asked IN The Patri-
ct Of June i4th about vaccination and
incubation. We are tremendously
pleased to hear from an open-minded
person and assure you that your per
tinent questions are most welcome.
You ask, Question No. ! s: why II
vaccination is not a preventive, are
the Philippines 80 often given as a
proof Of effective vaccination"
We too. would like 70 know why the
Philippines are cited as an example Of
the efficacy Of vaccination. From the
figures in our possession, taken from
National records which can be seen at
the Crerar Library IL Chicago, the
Philippines stand out as an excellent
example Of the failure Of vaccination.
The population Of the Philippines,
roughly speaking. is 100000. From
1905 TO 1910, 100000 vaccinations
and re-vaecinations were performed.
Following this general vaccination.
pupils Of the schools and officers and
tffiiAVyEN VI Nift government NNIG AE~
quired 10 be vaccinated annually. In
1917 and 1918 a general re-vaecination
was ordered. II vaccination is an eff
fective preventive should not these
millions Of vaccinations have produced
wonderful results? This Is what hap
pened. In the years 1918. 1919 and
1920 the Philippines experienced one
Of the worst epidemics of smallpox in
an history. Contrary TO the claim
that vaccination mitigates the sever
ity Of smallpox, the death rate in
creased from 10 81 per cent.--the
highest mortality ever recorded for
any nation. II there has been a de-
crease Of smallpox In the Philippines.
/ Il Is due 20 sanitation which has been
enforced by the United States Gov
eminent.
Who Makes Death Records?
Question No. 2: "Why do we not
hear of more deaths or harmful re-
suits from vaccinations and inocula-
tons? U have heard Of only a few
bad after-eifects in this city and never
before Of anything like the tragedy in
Australia after inoculation) ="
As one Yankee to another. let us
answer one question by asking anoth-
err Who makes out the death records7
Who would be interested In eoneeaiing
the real facts or cooking statistics"
about results Of vaccination and inoc-
ulation? Deaths from antitoxin are
put down TO diphtheria. Deaths from
vaccination are almost invariably con-
cealed under the title Of tetanus, men
nights, septicemia or whatever form
the blood poisoning takes in given
cases. This deception keeps the pub
lie in the dark and increases the NOR
tality. The parent who thinks he can
trace death or disease to a vaccination
or incubation feels very much alone in
the face Of the general belief in 'im-
munizing Shots" but such a parent
should remember that "the majority
once believed in a fiat earth" Column
bus stood alone.
You say you have heard Of only a
few bad after-effeets in this town.
Multiply these few cases by all those
in towns of the same population in this
country, and what of the dangers Of
serum treatment? What about the
cities Of much gretaer population? A
tragedy similar TO the recent one in
Australia occurred in Dallas, Texas.
in 1919. when five people were killed
by toxin-antitoxin, and the company
which inspected and passed the serum
had TO pay thousands Of dollars TO set
tie out of court the damages done. Bos-
ton papers of February 9th and 7th,
1924, published accounts Of severe i'll
nesses caused by the administration Of
toxin-antitoxin 10 school children in
Bridgewater, Pittsfield. and Concord,
Mass Reports Of bad after-effects are
published frequently, and one case
shuold be sufficient to make any parent
hesitate to risk the health and life of
his child.
Pus Into Pure Blood
Question No. 3 isn't vaccination
10 be preferred 10 the loathsome dis
ease Of smallpox"
As 10 which is TO be preferred
vaccination or "loathsome" smallpox
Can anything be more loathsome than
10 cultivate sores on a calf's belly,
scrape out the pus from such sores and
after a bit of further treatment inject
this doctored pus into the pure blood
streams of healthy children on the
theory that il will save them for three
years from a disease which there is
but one chance in thousand Of their
getting In their whole lives2 And in
addition may we hear quote Professor
Alfred Russell Wallace. who said (:
"The conclusion is In every case the
same. that vaccination is a gigantic
delusion; that II has never prevented
single case of smallpox nor saved n
single life; but that II has been the
cause Of so much disease. so many
deaths such a vast amount Of utterly
needless and altogether undeserved
suffering, that it will be classed by
the coming generation among the
greatest errors Of nm ignorant and
prejudieed age. and its penal enforce
ment the foulest blot on the generally
henefieent course of legislation during
our century"
A Group Of Putnam Citizens.