Posterous theme by Cory Watilo

Filed under: anti-vax

Vaccines in 1898, by Mia Trachinger

Miajacketcrop

I think it’s interesting to note that the resistance to immunization campaigns is nothing new….in fact it’s been going on for over a hundred years and birthed the term "conscientious objector." Read more below....

According to Deadly Choices: How the Anti-Vaccine Movement Threaten Us All, by Paul Offit...

"In 1898, the British government finally gave in (ed. to the anti-vaccine crusaders), appeasing angry citizens by passing a conscientious-objection law. People who didn't want to get a vaccine didn't have to. (The term "conscientious objector," born of England's anti-vaccine movement, was later applied to those who refused to fight in WWI and subsequent wars.)”

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Manifesto: "The Importance of Immunizing Children" | an example from a typical U.S. physician's office

Brad Dyer is a pediatrician in Lionville, PA, and this is the text of a vaccinating "manifesto" that hangs in his clinic. I thought I'd reproduce it here (appearing for the first time in Dr. Paul A. Offit's Deadly Choices: How the Anti-Vaccine Movement Threatens Us All):

We firmly believe in the effectiveness of vaccines to prevent serious illness and save lives.

We firmly believe in the safety of vaccines.

We firmly believe that all children and young adults should receive all of the recommendaed vaccines according to the schedule by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

We firmly believe based on all available literature, evidence, and and current studies that vaccines do not cause autism or other developmental disabilties.

Furthermore, by not vaccinating your child you are taking selfish advantage of thousands of others who do vaccinate their children, which decreases the liklihood that your child will contact one of these diseases. We feel such an attitude to be self-centered and unacceptable.

We are making you aware of these facts not to scare you or coerce you, but to emphasize the importance of vaccinating your child.  We recognize that the choice may be an emotional one for some parents. We will do everything we can to convince you that vaccinating according to the schedule is the right thing to do. Please be advised, however, that delaying or "breaking up the vaccine" to give one or two at a time over two more more visits goes against expert recommendations and can put your child at risk for serious illness (or even death) and goes against our medical advice.

Finally, if you should absolutely refuse to vaccinate your child despite all our efforts, we will ask you to find another healthcare provider who shares your views. We do not keep a list of such providers nor would we recommend any such physician.

(-- from p198, Deadly Choices)