HPB-SB-10-328

H. P. Blavatsky Scrapbooks

from Adyar archives of the International Theosophical Society

T i

vol. 10, p. 328

vol. 10

page 328

 

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eng • рус

<Untitled> (The March number of The Theosophist...)

...

<Untitled> (The Theosophist says...)

...

Anti-Vaccination in the United States

(From a letter to Mr. William Tebb from the President of the American Anti-Vaccination League.)

We have not been idle in the cause of Health against Pestilence. Immediately upon the appearance of the article in the Scientific American directing the press to keep silent about vaccination, I addressed a remonstrance to the editor, which, of course, was not published. At the same time I sent a communication to the Sun which appeared under the title, “A Blast against Vaccination.” The Sun is the second paper in circulation in New York, and has more than a million readers. I received numerous letters thanking me for writing it. Next, I offered Mr. Butts, the philosophical publisher, a paper entitled, “The Crime of Vaccination,” which he printed in each of his journals—“Man,” the “Scientific Man,” and the “Evolution.” You perceive also that the Medical Tribune does not neglect the vaccination question.

We had a terrific case of vaccine poisoning in the Twelfth Ward of New York. The tale was frightful, and required much careful smothering to keep the flames from bursting forth.

Dr. R. E. Kunze, of 606 Third Avenue, some time ago encountered a case of toxæmia. The child had been vaccinated three weeks before by the public vaccinator. Areolar inflammation ensued, terminating abruptly after nine days’ suffering. Then came an eruption on the lips and about the mouth; the lips, nostrils, and chin were pustulated. This yielded to treatment, but the neck and back of the head were attacked. Healing in one place was followed by breaking out in another. Eventually erysipelas supervened; the glands became suppurated, and death completed the work of the public vaccinator.

Dr. Kunze reported the case as vaccinia spuria resulting in toxæmia. Four doctors were secretly sent by the Board of Health to inspect the case—the physician being carefully kept from knowing of their mission. They unlawfully made out a new certificate of death; but the father persisted that the infant was poisoned by vaccine virus. Thus the truth was hidden by the ministers of the law.

You correct my statement that there is no Compulsory Vaccination Law in the United States. I am ashamed of the fact that Massachusetts has the bad eminence of a statute of that character. She was far less red-handed when she hanged Quakers on Boston Common. Our friend Mr. Alfred E. Giles, of Hyde Park, in that State, is exercising the Legislature on the question; and Mr. Luther Colby, of Montgomery-place, Boston, is an old soldier in resistance to blood-poisoning by statute.

The real peril here just now is from the Doctors’ conspiracy to procure the creation of Medical Boards in the several States. About twenty have produced their miserable abortions. So many Old School practitioners cannot live by their profession that they are beleaguering the Legislature for monopoly and offices.

The fright in the ranks of the blood-poisoners in consequence of our attack on vaccination has been pretty general. Some who are especially spiteful are vendors of “pure vaccine virus,” whatever the filthy stuff may be. Then there are the “public vaccinators” who eke out a living by the murderous business. After these come the host of family physicians—a class whose motto is Principiis obsta.

The “Popular Science Monthly” recently reprinted an article on Vaccination in New York, by Dr. Warren—an endeavour to show that small pox has given way to the public vaccinator. I took no trouble to answer the article, because there is little free speech in these so-called Liberal periodicals. Youmans, the editor, is as bigoted as a Torquemada or a Jefferies.

In this country we need outrage to excite public attention. We would never have abolished slavery if slavery had not thrust itself into our faces. We do not originate many ideas here; and we try to suppress those we have. Our medical practice is exotic; and when you overthrow vaccination we shall follow.

I shall never be cool or indifferent in this matter. I abhor the practice, and consider it criminal, but I have not the means to proclaim or lead a crusade. What I can do I shall do gladly. I know the cost—proscription, loss of business, persecution. The Old School medical profession is organised against humanity by a compact, rigid, merciless, devilish; and there is more cause for revolt against them than against any other caste in Christendom.

Alexander Wilder, M.D.

F.T.S.

567, Orange Street, Newark, New Jersey,

5th February, 1880.

Editor's notes

Sources

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  Medium and Daybreak, v. 11, No. 525, April 23, 1880, p. 268