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Antityphoid Inoculation.
The Antityphoid Inoculation of our soldiers has drawn public
attention to a prophylactic measure the utility of which has been proved
for all minds capable of appreciating what proof is; but misrepresentations
have been made concerning its value which might produce upon
ignorant people impressions which are hard to remove. Evidence is
accumulating in all parts of the world demonstrating the good results
which have followed the adoption of inoculation against typhoid fever.
The large numher of deaths which occurred in the South African war
well illustrated the ravages of disease during campaigns where preventive
measures were imperfect, but we got little therapeutic instruction
from the tragedies which ensued. There were 57,684 cases of typhoid
fever, of which 19,454 (33 per cent.) were invalided and 8,022 (13.9
per cent.) died. Although inoculation had been introduced at that
time the conditions under which the treatment was employed made
deduction from the results unsafe. The technique has since been considerably
improved, and the experience of other nations has made clear
the beneficial effects of preventive inoculation. Sir W. B. Leishman
instanced the fact that about 93 per cent. of the British garrisons in
India have been protected by inoculation, and the disease which used
to cost the nation from 300 to 600 deaths annually was last year