Vaccination did, can and do work

[Guest guest]

An aquaintance of mine, a newly minted MD in the mid '50s was sent to Haiti in the midst of a whooping cough out break. There appeared to be no natural immunity, with 80% of cases proving fatal in the 1 year to 12-15 year age group. Older seemed to have some natural immunity, those younger than 15, almost none. They had arrived in Port-au-Prince with enough standard strength vaccine to treat 100,000 children. The disease was spreading to the country side as people tried to flee at at rate of about 4 miles per day, and was about 40 miles out when they arrived. Some quick calculations and an understanding of clinical trials, led them to start treatment at 50 miles out from the city center with half strength doses. They reasoned that the vaccine was supposed to give 99% imunity at standard strength and felt the half strength would confer 95% immunity. They

treated 220,000 children with what they had before running out. The 80% death rate stopped at 44 miles from city center. They could tell from antibodies present the the population was exposed and the contagin was passed on. However, among the population that received the vaccination, 8 percent died, about twice what was hoped. Evidently, it did not work quickly enough or the half dose was not quite storng enough. In any case over 200,000 lives were likely saved. Check with Dr. Frackleton, Cleveland Ohio.

Bill Dunlap - Lakeview, NC