Article January 15, 1927 Issue

In an article entitled "Soldiers All," printed in your recent...

Everett P. Clark, Committee on Publication for the State of Washington,

Winlock News

In an article entitled "Soldiers All," printed in your recent issue, reference is made to the value of the discovery of the practice of vaccination by Dr. Jenner, as being comparable with the work and teachings of Christ Jesus. Christ Jesus' work was and is wholly spiritual, Jenner's wholly material; and thus Jenner's work was in direct contradiction to the teachings of Christ Jesus. It is difficult to appreciate the motive prompting such statements as: "A vaccination scar is not so ancient, but is more honorable than the Golden Fleece or Star and Garter.... The scars of the battle field are less glorious." But when the writer of this article says, "To those, however, who fear to do their bit, I may say that vaccination, properly performed, is without danger," it is pertinent that your readers should know what medical men, recognized as authorities, have said in respect to vaccination. Space does not permit of many quotations, but Sir William Osler, M. D., recognized as one of the highest authorities on medical subjects, in his book, "The Principle and Practice of Medicine," very frankly admits that vaccination may develop generalized rash in different parts of the body, which, in children, may prove fatal. Dr. Osler is a Fellow in the Royal College of Physicians, London; Regis Professor of Medicine, Oxford University; Honor Professor of Medicine, McGill University of Montreal, Canada. He is also quoted as saying that in his judgment vaccination should never be made compulsory because it does entail risks. The following quotation is submitted from "Modern Science," by William Osler M. D., Volume 1, in chapter "Vaccination," by George Dock, M. D., professor of medicine in the Washington University and Medical School, St. Louis, Missouri: "With the greatest care, however, certain risks are present, and so it is unwise for the physician to force the operation upon those who are unwilling or to give assurances of absolute harmlessness."

It is also interesting to note that the death rate from smallpox in the Philippines is over two hundred times greater than in England or the United States, yet the Philippines have twenty to thirty times the number of vaccinations per hundred persons. In Australia compulsory vaccination has been repudiated, and Australia is frequently referred to as "Un vaccinated Australia;" yet, in commenting upon this situation, the Citizens' Medical Reference Bureau says: "Notwithstanding the admitted fact that for practical purposes the commonwealth as a whole has been 'unprotected by vaccination' during the fifteen-year period ending 1923, there were only six fatalities from smallpox in the entire country, and of these at least three of the fatalities were traceable to other diseases, smallpox being designated as a contributory cause only. The number of cases of smallpox for the fifteen-year period is given as 2422. The extreme mildness and the small number of cases of smallpox in Australia cannot be attributed to lack of exposure to smallpox, it being stated that smallpox will, at times, get by the best quarantine organization. Also, Australia is in close proximity to other countries where smallpox is widespread." As further evidence that there has been no lack of exposure to smallpox, consideration should be given to the fact that during this same period one hundred and one vessels were quarantined for smallpox in Australian ports. Details as to classification of these vessels are available. In speaking of the "Menace of Compulsion" in vaccination, the same authority says: "The facts about the dangers of vaccination are so startling that if generally understood no state, city, or town would tolerate compulsion. These facts are unassailable. They are admitted to be true by the highest medical and public health authorities."

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