Vaccines: Unpredictable and Dangerous
PeterB - Original
graphically at http://www.vaccinationdebate.com/web1.html. The graphs
show that declines in severe illness leading to death prior to use of
vaccine was profound. In one case, those declines occurred without
any vaccine at all, further demonstrating McKinlays' finding that
3.5%, AT MOST, of the decline in disease-related mortality from 1900
to 1975 could be attributed to measures introduced for the control of
infectious diseases. [ref. "Public Health at the Crossroads," by R.
Beaglehole and R. Bonita, pg 43.] This is a remarkable finding. If
the vast majority of declines in infectious disease mortality occurred
before most vaccines were available, the trend in declining severity
of these illnesses would naturally have continued past introduction of
vaccine. And that is exactly what happened. The purported benefits
of vaccine in reducing rates of infection must be measured against a
backdrop of limited safety data on their use and a history of serious,
often fatal, side effects. The enormous loss of life due to vaccine
programs in Europe and the U.S. as vaccines were introduced is hardly
evidence that population-wide vaccination is a proven intervention.
Read the following excerpt from the article, "Smallpox Vaccine: Does
it Work?" published at Holistic Pediatric Association's website.
"During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when smallpox
epidemics ran rampant, the introduction of smallpox vaccination was
often followed by an increased incidence of the disease. Many vaccine
critics accused the smallpox vaccine of precipitating these
epidemics. A disastrous smallpox epidemic occurred in England during
the period 1871-1873 at a time when the compulsory smallpox
vaccination law had resulted in nearly universal coverage. A Royal
Commission was appointed in 1889 to investigate the history of
vaccination in the United Kingdom. Evidence mounted that smallpox
epidemics increased dramatically after 1854, the year the compulsory
vaccination law went into effect. In the London epidemic of 1857-1859,
there were more than 14,000 deaths; in the 1863-1865 outbreak 20,000
deaths; and from 1871 to 1873 all of Europe was swept by the worst
smallpox epidemic in recorded history. In England and Wales alone,
45,000 people died of smallpox at a time when, according to official
estimates, 97 percent of the population had been vaccinated.
"When Japan started compulsory vaccination against smallpox in 1872
the disease steadily increased each year. In 1892 more than 165,000
cases occurred with 30,000 deaths in a completely vaccinated
population. During the same time period Australia had no compulsory
vaccination laws, and only three deaths occurred from smallpox over a
15-year period.
"Germany adopted a compulsory vaccination law in 1834, and rigorously
enforced re-vaccinations. Yet during the period 1871-1872 there were
125,000 deaths from smallpox. In Berlin itself 17,000 cases of
smallpox occurred among the vaccinated population, of whom 2,240 were
under ten years of age, and of these vaccinated children 736 died.
"In the Philippines, global public health measures were instituted
when the United States began its occupation to establish a self-
reliant government in the early 1900s. The incidence of smallpox
steadily declined and the compulsory vaccine campaign was credited
with this dramatic reduction. However, in the years 1917 to 1919, the
Philippines experienced the worst epidemic of smallpox in the
country's history with over 160,000 cases and over 70,000 deaths in a
completely vaccinated population. Over 43,000 deaths from smallpox
occurred in 1919 alone. The entire population of the Philippines at
the time was only 11 million.
"Vaccine failures of this magnitude may have several causes. The
vaccine used could have been defective. During that period it was
difficult to verify what the vaccine actually contained. The vaccine
could have been contaminated with smallpox virus and actually caused
epidemics. Or vaccine critics may have been correct in asserting that
Jenner's cowpox vaccine, which is essentially the same vaccine used
today, simply did not work to prevent smallpox."
Copyright 2009 Holistic Pediatric Association