The Washington times., 1935-08-29

b e a u j full - EaA As
farming and DIR. Clendening
dairy country of western Eng
land.
It was in Berkeley that Ed
ward Jenner did the first vacci-
nation against smallpox. The
little, matched summer house,
the scene Of the event, is still
standing in a corner Of the
vicarage garden. Jenner's
brother was the vicar Of st.
Mary's Church, and the old
churchyard and church itself
are next door to the little
matched house.
Modest Stone
Strangely enough, no plaque
or sign marks the spot to ex-
plain to the casual visitor what
occurred here. There is no
statue or monument to Jenner
in the main street of the little
town. Only an occasional inter-
ested medical man like myself
takes the trouble to scramble
through the bushes and over the
fence of the churchyard to
catch a glimpse of that historic
structure. In the church Jen-
ner's grave is found with diff
Guilty. A stone in the wall bears
only his name and his dates.
Edward Jenner, 1749-1823"
I like that. No one should
have to be told what that name
is associated with-one of the
very greatest triumphs of man.
kind-more important than all
the victories of all the wars.
What he saved the world from
cannot be appreciated from the
recital of mere figures.
"If in any one year." wrote
Sir James Simpson, "SOme over
whelrning catastrophe destroyed
all the living population of the
counties of Marin or KinSOSS; or
swept away every living inhabi-
tant Of the cathedral cities of
Litchfield, RipOn or Wells; or
slaughtered four or five regi-
ments Of soIdiers-Such an
event would assuredly terrify
the public and its guardians;
the strongest measures would,
no doubt, be called for with a
view of preventing the recur.
renee Of the catastrophe. But
q similar amount of slaughter
is constantly caused by smallpox
NOT once, but continuously;
not one year, but every year."
Sir James was writing in
1864 and arguing for quaran.
tine. Vaccination had been in
troduced but was performed
only at the discretion of the in
dividual.
When universal vaccination
became compulsory, the condi-
tons he described disappeared.
While Young
Before Jenner's day, the care
lesSness with which the public
allowed themselves to be ex-
posed is unbelievable.
"Beggers in the streets impor-
tuning for charity-and lifting
p1vA thar nhSIdpn,a With e,aoo1Irn~,
encrustationS still upon them,
almost against the very faces of
those from whom they asked
aims, and injecting them with
the malady."
But even that would not be a
danger to a person who has been
vaccinated. Quarantine proved
ineffective. Only vaccination
stopped the spread of the dis
ease.
When should vaccination
against smallpox be done? All
we need to do to answer the
question is to look at the age
incidence the Montreal cpl
demic of 1885, 2,717 children
under 10 years Of age, died, and
AT adults.
Vaccinate your child certainly
before one year. Lately it has
been advocated to vaccinate
them on the first day of life. Alb
Solutely before entering school.
Editors Note: Six pamphlets
by DR.. Clendening can now be
obtained by sending 10 cents in
coin, for each, and a Self-ad-
dressed envelope stamped with
a Scent stamp, to DR.. Logan
Clendening. in care of this
paper. The pamphlets are:
indigestion and Constipation"
Reducing and Gaining" I'm
FAINT Feeding" instructions for
the Treatment of Diabetes"
Feminine Hygiene" and THE
Care of the Hair and Skin"
Cocktail SIIi+c