DR ANSTIE ON THE VACCINATION QUESTION.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 15, Issue 769, 14 March 1870, Page 4

DR ANSTIE ON THE VACCINATION QUESTION.

The Lancet, of the 6th November, Says : We would particularly direct the attention of the profession to two articles on the vaccination question, published in the Practitioner for October and the present month. They are from the pen of the editor, Dr Anstie, and are singularly felicitous in matter and .manner. The most learned in vaccination will feel indebted for the happy and compact fashion in which the great and incontrovertible truths upon which the practice of vaccination is founded are here marshalled; the least learned in the subject (unless the unhappy victim of some mental warp which dates from a period nine months before birth) may gather from J)r Ansrie's pregnant sentences and Incisive argument a clear notion of the preposterous folly of those persons who idoubt the benificent action of Legislature in compelling the common adoption of the practice. Especially do we commend to attention the comments on the possible conveyance of constitutional infections through the agency of vaccination, and particularly the evidence of the communication v( syphilis. The utter worthlessness of the evidence upon which the doctrine of vaccino-syphilis has been based is admirably shown. "We could have wished that Dr Anstie had drawn attention to the fact that, of the asserted outbreaks of vaccino-syphilis, not one has occurred in this country. There has, unhappily, not been wanting much careless vaccination among us"(of which not the least evil reaped fs the doubt of the operations which bow possesses the minds of some); but of carelessness so gross —nay, criminal -as that which has led to the inoculation of syphilis during the presumed act of vaccination, English medicine is entirely guiltless. We altogether concur with the closing words of Dr Anstie's article:—" The medical profession," he writes, " may well afford to disregard the monstrous fables and absurd alarms which are circulated from time as to the conveyance of horrible infections by the inedium of vaccine lymph. But in regard to their slackness in adopting to the fullest extent the standard of excellence in vaccination, for preventive purposes, which has been laid down by the best authorities, they have much to answer for. Let them look to it, for their credit is at stake upon a matter of infinite importance, as to which the public, when they know the facts, are not likely to be lenient judges."