The Northwest times. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1947-1955, 1950-06-17
z&MS XuNR MEzzW.i
UJN Ptspofsd by he ssoH Of he
.EHp HEALTH SCIENCES oMsloN
10y 49, UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
BOOSTING IMMUNITY

The terms booster shot" or recall
dose refer to the repeat incubation
of an individual who has had an
original series of NEGOTIATIONS against
one or more of the communicable
diseases.
To understand why such repetition
of the doctors needles" is necessary,
one must know something of how
the first series of NEGOTIATIONS affects
the person who receives them. When
person has had an attack of Meas
les, Mumps, Whooping Cough or
Diptheria. usually he can ward off
any further attack of such diseases
for many years, or often for the rest
of his life. We say that such person
has developed an immunity" to that
disease.
What has actually happened is
that the body of the individual who
suffered the communicable disease,
manufactured substances and deve-
Hoped powers that enabled him to re-
sist further attack by the same dis
ease agent. Such immunity unfortu-
nately does not result with all types
of communicable disease, but it does
with a great many of them
The developments of medical
science have enabled our doctors to
produce in us a state of immunity
similar to that just described, but
without our having to suffer the
disease itself, Such immunity can be
developed in the majority of people
against such communicable diseases
as Smallpox, Diphtheria, Whooping
Cough and other less common infec-
tons.
To produce such immunity, one to
three or more NEGOTIATIONS of the
specific material within a period of
one or two months are usually re-
quired. Such inoculations are carried
out preferably during infancy.
But what about "the booster shot?
Why is it necessary? People who de-
veloped a lasting immunity to a
communicable disease probably did
so because they were being exposed
repeatedly to the disease agent. Con-
sequently their powers of resistance
were being kept at high level But
now when many of the communica-
BILE diseases are becoming so I'M
common, such repeated exposure is
less likely Therefore we must again
use artificial methods so that the
body will be prepared in the event
of an emergency.
Booster shots" are especially i'm
portant to protect against Smallpox
Vaccination against Smallpox pro-
duces an immunity that lasts appro-
Ximately two to five years. If more
that five years have lapsed since you
were last vaccinated then you should
be re-vaccinated.
The booster periods for Diphtheria
apply mainly to children who have
had their initial series of inocula-
tons. They should have an addition
al "shot" at least on entering school |
and preferably every three years.
If an epidemic should threaten, /
adults can determine their immunity |
level by asking their doctor to give |
them Schick test If the test is
positive then they too should have a
booster dose, or the full series if
they have not been inoculated
against diphtheria before.
For Whooping Cough recall, child
rem should be re-inoculated at about
two and one-half years and again
before entering school,
Booster shots" for other diseases
will depend on whether or not the
individual is likely to be exposed to
the disease agent. One should con-
suit his doctor or clinic about the
less common diseases.