Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, FEB. 27, 1902. Vaccination.

Manawatu Herald, 27 February 1902, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, FEB. 27, 1902. Vaccination.

Prom the persistent effort of a few people parliament was induced last Session to pass an amendment to the “ Public Health Act 1900 ” giving the option to a parent, at any time within four months of its birth, to claim exemption from vaccination if they are conscientiously of opinion that it would be prejudicial to the child’s health. Thus the child and the public run a great danger from the fact that a fond parent dreads to have the child inoculated to save it from a dread disease. There have been cases in which infants have had, from the carelessness of vaccinators, a complaint engrafted upon them, but this is impossible with due care and cleanliness. The appointment of a public vaccinator has to be carefully made, and if it is, and the government supply him with pure lymph, it is a matter for regret that such precautions are not availed of. We have heard it declared that vaccination is not necessary in the colony, as it is unlikely smallpox would travel so far. It is to be hoped this may be so, but the past does not lead us to put much trust in the hpe being fulfilled. The disease was introduced from the far East into Europe, and from there it got to America, and thus in these days there is no reason to hope that our position will be any securer. That the disease when it gets introduced amongst a people not inoculated, is devastating, is simply a matter of history. Directly the smallpox reached America it carried off the Indians by thousands. Mary, Queen of England, died of the smallpox in 1694, as did in 1711 and 1712 the Emperor of Germany, the dauphin and dauphiness of France and their son, showing that the surroundings had but little to do in mitigation of the disease of the patients when the plague was in the air. The King of France in 1774 was struck down by it, as well as the Emperor of Russia a few years earlier. As many as two million persons perished in Russia in and about 1750. In 1723 the deaths in London was placed to smallpox as one out of fourteen, and in Prance the rate was one in ten. Thus we. have facts of sufficient importance to dread a visitation of small-pox in a population not vaccinated.

Vaccination was discovered by Dr Edward Jenner in what appears a simple manner, the origin of so many great discoveries. Observation of apparently trivial matters have often led to great results. He hoard that milk-maids, who had had the cow pox never took the small pox, and from this he conceived the idea of vaccination. Having experimented very successfully he announced his discovery in 1798. That the system was exceedingly popular and appreciated by people who were acquainted with the terrible effects of an outbreak of this fell disease is shown by Dr Jenner having received

two votes of money from the English government, one of £IO,OOO and later one of £20,000, and from the manner m which the Emperor-Napo-leon treated him, refusing no request of his, and liberating whole families of English prisoners of war, at his request. Vaccination was made compulsory in England in 1858, and in Ireland and Scotland ten years later. As is usual to any wholesale scheme, opposition arose, and in 1870 an antivaccination society was formed, and a great meeting of their adherents was held in Leicester square, but from the results of the recent outbreak in England the value of vaccination has been proved. The figures of the results of the deaths in London from the recent attack show that the deaths of persons vaccinated the percentage was 14 21; of the doubtful cases, G 5.08 ; and of those unvaccinated 50.52. The report of the vaccinated cases are further subdivided into “ over 20 years of age,” and “ under 20 years of age ” tables. From these it appears that the mortality among children and young people under 20 was only 1.87 per cent., that among their elders 17.62 per cent. Taking the cases of people between 35 and 40 years of age who were vaccinated in their youth, it wn.q found that the mortality rose to

28.95 per cent. These figures, of course, support the contention that re-vaccination is necessary. As the report puts it, “ there is a diminution in the protective power afforded by primary vaccination after the age of 20 years.” The report concludes with the statement that the facts set forth in it confirm the report of the special committee appointed after the outbreak of 1870—1872, which strongly advocated re-vaccination. It is also pointed out that cases the recovery from which, is not yet complete have not been included in the tables. Their inclusion will ultimately reduce the percentage of fatal terminations.

It would appear wise for parents to insist upon getting pure lymph and respectable vaccinators for the protection of their children’s health rather than adopt the heroic method of running a tremendous risk to their families and the colony at large. The question is one much to serious to trifle with as in these days of swift locomotion there is no fortelling of a coming evil, it arrives in our midst without warning. There is so much mistaken love for the infant that many parents are ready to raise “ conscientious ” scruples simply to save the child a few days’ uneasiness, but before so acting they should recall that in London it has been proved in all patients under 20 years of age that infant vaccination has been such a safeguard that those attacked only 1.87 per cent succumbed, and that vaccination has thus been the means of preserving the children instead of harming them, for their elders died at the rate of 17.52 per cent. We would much like to see the permissive clause of last Session repealed at the next sitting of parliament.