Inquiry into the probable cause of the continued prevalence and fatality of small-pox / by James Stark.

  • Stark, James, 1814-1883
Date:
1845
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Inquiry into the probable cause of the continued prevalence and fatality of small-pox / by James Stark. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    I N Q U I R Y, &o. Much alarm has been created by the outcry raised by some writ- ers in this country and on the continent that small-pox is increasing in consequence of vaccination losing its effects, either from a dege- neration of its virus, or from its wearing out of the system after a certain number of years, or from its being but an imperfect preser- vative against that disease. To check these supposed causes, it has by one class been proposed to go back to the cow for a fresh supply of vaccine matter every two or three years ; and Sonderland, lious- quet, Girard, Estlin, Ceely, and others have exerted themselves successfully to procure fresh supplies from that animal. By the other class it has been proposed to repeat vaccination every ten or twelve years ; and the Prussian, Hanoverian, Russian, and other governments have actually so far listened to this proposal as to have had their whole standing armies re-vaccinated. While the third class have even seriously proposed to return to the fatal, and now, it is to be hoped, for-ever-exploded plan of inoculating with the small-pox. Having paid no inconsiderable attention both to sntall-pox and vaccination ; having collected notes and observations for a period of more than twelve years; and being thoroughly convinced that the continued prevalence and fatality of small-pox over all the king- doms of the globe are owing to an entirely different cause, and as all are aware that the proper preventive means cannot be used unless we know the true cause, 1 shall, in the development of my views, consider the subject under the four following heads : 1st. Is small-pox a fatal disease at the present day, and has it increased of late years ? 2d. Is the prevalence and mortality of small-pox owing to fail- ure in the protective power of vaccination ? 3d. Is the prevalence and mortality of small-pox owing to the neglect of vaccination ? 4th. Hoes vaccination afford as perfect protection from small-pox as it is possible to obtain—as perfect immunity from danger as if the person had once passed through the natural or inoculated dis- ease ? ] ,st. Is small-pox a fatal disease at the present day, and has it increased of late years ?—Before the introduction of vaccination, small-pox was one of the most fatal scourges of the human race ; and it was calculated that in Great Britain and Ireland no fewer than between 40,000 and 50,000 were annually cut off by it. In London alone, on an average of fifty years, 2018 died annually from small-pox before the introduction of vaccination. The following