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7
Now I think you will admit that these statements, being
diametrically opposed to each other, cannot both be true; I will only,
therefore, add a few words of practical criticism on each of them. As
to the 1st statement, "that Vaccination cannot protect against Small
Pox because it is a totally distinct disease," every one who thinks at
all will allow that, if it can be shown that Vaccination does in fact
afford protection, the objection falls to the ground
As to the 2nd point, "that Vaccination does not protect against
Small Pox, but actually causes the disease," Dr. Acland, who was for
7 years Medical Officer to the Royal Commission on Vaccination and
was engaged in making enquiries into Vaccinal Injuries throughout the
length and breadth of the kingdom, informs us that during that period
many millions of Vaccinations were performed, and that he had never
seen or heard of an authentic case of Small Pox resulting from
Vaccination in this country.
There is still a 3rd objection which is frequently urged against
Vaccination, viz, that the harm done by it and the risk which it
involves are so great, that there is no justification for the practice, as
it is productive only of evil, and powerless for good.
If you will have patience with roe, I shall endeavour to show
you how very far from the truth both these statements are. Before
doing so, however, I should like to say that we know, even if all goes
well, that a vaccinated child suffers something and is an increased care
or anxiety to an often overworked mother. No one can sympathize
more than I do with the trouble and distress which may thus come to
mother and child through the 2nd week of even a normal vaccination.
Sometimes, when all does not go well—when there is inflammation of
the arm, or ulceration of the pocks—the burden thus imposed on the
mother is heavier, and the suffering to the child is greater, and in some
few instances the injury may be severe. It cannot be denied that in
the case of a working man, such trouble in the house may be a serious
one, and it must be looked upon as a sacrifice which he is asked to make
for the good of the State, as well as for the good of his child.
To return to the consideration of Vaccinal Injuries. Calculating
from the cases which were brought under the notice of the Royal
Commission on Vaccination during the years 1889 to 1896, and from
the cases enquired into during 1888—1891 by the Local Government
Board, it would appear that there was death or serious injury in one
case in about 14,000 (in England 1 in 14,159, in Scotland 1 in 38,872)
primary Vaccinations You may say that even this amount of harm
ought not to be, and the fact that it does occur is a powerful argument
against Vaccination, Before accepting this conclusion, you must take
into consideration that more than half (57.6 per cent.) of these cases