A century of vaccination and what it teaches / W. Scott Tebb.

  • Tebb, W. Scott (William Scott), 1862-1917.
Date:
1899
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A century of vaccination and what it teaches / W. Scott Tebb. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

    22/476
    positively. If this misuse of the new law becomes general, it will shortly be as unworkable as the old one was ; but it is to be hoped that this deplorable maladministration will only be temporary. That the movement against vaccination will spread and will ultimately triumph everywhere is certain. The alleged unanimity of the medical profession on the subject—the argument on which pro-vaccinists mostly rely—is far more apparent than real. That a majority of medical men would, if polled at this moment, pass a vote of confidence in vaccination is probably true. But votes need to be weighed as wrell as counted ; and I am satisfied that, if the poll were confined to those practitioners who have studied the subject, and have honestly endeavoured to form an independent judgment on the evidence, the majority would be the other way. Even now very few care to defend the practice openly. And it must be remembered that it has never been the way of the medical profession, as a body, to confess to doubts as to the value of any established medical practice. They will allow such practices gradually to fall into desuetude when they no longer command confidence; and this is especially the case when other methods of treatment can acceptably be substituted ; but a positive declaration against any doubtful practice is not to be looked for. Nothing would more quickly undeceive the public than the rapid and complete abandonment of the practice of vaccination in rural districts. Small-pox is mainly an urban disease ; and on this point the statistics are so clear that the firmest believers in the protective power of vaccination must admit that in rural districts