SMALL POX AND VACCINATION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 196, 19 August 1899, Page 2 (Supplement)

SMALL POX AND VACCINATION.

That the occurrence of a small-pox i epidemic even on a mild scale demon- | strates the protective influence of | vaccination is a statement which can be amply substantiated by the perusal of the reports which medical officers prepare regarding such outbreaks. The most recent proof of this kind comes to hand from Hull. An outbreak there resulted (at the date of the report) in the development of 61 cases of small-pox. There were 49 cases taken to the isolation hospital from the town, and 12 from the port. Of these there were 45 cases in vac- j cinated persons; and among them four deaths occurred, giving a mortality of 9 per cent. Of the unvaccinated' 16 persons, 9 died, giving a percentage of 56. It was seen that the percentage of vaccinated persons attacked by the disease is far below that of uiivaccinated persons attacked. There may be some explanation of the remarkable disparity between the mortality among the vaccinated and uuvaecinated patients in Hull hospital, other than that which ascribes the difference to the protective influence of vaccination, but if so, none has as yet been forthcoming. The scientific position with regard to vaccination demonstrates the generally protective effect. To allege that it will protect everybody is just as unreasonable an idea as that of the anti-vacciu-ators, who maintain that it protects nobody. In the main, vaccination is not only a simple and safe operation, but one which exercises a decided influence on small-pox infection, and on the curability of small-pox when infection has occurred. This is the declaration of ■ medical experience. People who sneer at that experience have only themselves to thank when other and wiser folks regard them as lacking in that which Solomon declared was "the principal thing."—

Dr. Andrew Wilson