FATAL VACCINATION

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6992, 19 August 1929, Page 3

FATAL VACCINATION

“SLEEPY SICKNESS’’ FOLLOWS. LONDON CORONER ALARMED. Revelations regarding the peril of what the coroner referred to as “sleepy sickness’’ following primary vaccination were made at an inquest at Lambeth concerning the death of Ruby Gill, aged ten. Dr. Baly stated that death was due to post-vaccinal encephalitis. Recently, he said, a departmental committee of experts, appointed to inquire into vaccination, said that if virus were present in a patient an attack of measles or primary vaccination or any other similar disturbance might cause the virus to become active. “These patients,’’ he said, “are in a similar state to those suffering from status lymphaticus, who would die when given an anaesthetic. So far a case of encephalitic following secondary vaccination is unknown.’’ Dr. Orchard, public vaccinator, who was on holiday, wrote a letter in which he said that he vaccinated eleven persons on May 11, using Government lymph. He gave instructions that all tho patients should bo re-dressed-with boracic lint until the scars had healed. He found that Ruby Gill had been to school without any dressing on her arm, and he thought some septic infection had been absorbed then. “Since I have been public vaccinator,’’ the letter added, “I have done over 1,800 vaccinations with Government lymph, and have marvelled that there have not been many more of these cases as the result of carelessness.’’ The coroner said that it was a disturbing case. “It is not the only ono I have to deal with,’’ he said. “I have a similar case at Westminster, also of primary vaccination, respecting a woman about thirty-five who died in the same way. It would seem that recently a new disease had been discovered, which, unfortunately, is very fatal— post-vaccinal encephalitis, inflammation of the brain, occurring for tho first time. The Government lymph was all right, but some people show signs of this deadly disease. “This is obviously a subject that calls .urgently for further investigation," ho said, “because it is clear that this child has died in consequence of being vaccinated. The theory held by experts is that those people who die from post-vaccinal encephalitic are people who have the germ of tho disease or virus of sleepy sickness dormant in their systems." On the same day another death following vaccination was investigated .by the East End coroner, the victim being a girl of fourteen years. Dr. P. Williams, house physician at London Hospital, said that certain organs were being microscopically examined, and he was of the opinion that the examination would prove that the child died from vaccinia.