Article November 9, 1912 Issue

Dr. Hoyt's remarks anent vaccination are amusing

Mary B. Thompson

Los Angeles (Cal.) Tribune

Dr. Hoyt's remarks anent vaccination are amusing. I do not know where he got his information about Japan, and I am inclined to think that his memory has failed him sadly. The following facts are from the director of the sanitary bureau at Tokio: In 1872 a law was passed making vaccination compulsory. In 1885 another more stringent law followed, which provided for revaccination every five to seven years. This was rigidly enforced, yet the figures show that smallpox continued to rage and with a fatality of twenty-five per cent, which was greater than in prevaccination days. In 1896 the Japanese Parliament, under the astute guidance of the medical profession, who were doubtless greatly encouraged by this progress, passed another law, which made revaccination compulsory every five years. And the Japanese, having no silly antivaccinationists among them, submitted meekly. This continued in force till 1908, when the worst epidemic of recent times occurred, with a case fatality of thirty per cent. I agree with Dr. Hoyt that Japan is a "boomerang," but I differ from him as to which side it hits.

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