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by invading micro-organisms. Ordinary measles or diarrhoea—harmless and short-lived diseases among well-fed children—are usually serious and often fatal to the chronically malnourished. Before vaccines existed, practically every child in all countries caught measles, but 300 times more deaths occurred in the poorer countries than in the richer ones. The reason was not that the virus was more virulent, nor that there were fewer medical services; but that in poorly nourished communities the microbes attack a host which, because of chronic malnutrition, is less able to resist." The report concluded: "For the time being, an adequate diet is the most effective ‘vaccine’ against most of the diarrhoeal, respiratory and other common infections.” reaction to question the figures and the graphing by invading micro-organisms. Ordinary measles or technique. "Where did you say these figures are from? — diarrhoea—harmless and short-lived diseases among Why have | not seen graphs like this before? Did you _ well-fed children—are usually serious and often fatal to double-check the figures?" In my opinion, this is a the chronically malnourished. Before vaccines existed, perfectly normal reaction. We have a deep faith in _ practically every child in all countries caught measles, medicine, and especially vaccination. but 300 times more deaths occurred in the poorer The second one is the "that doesn't prove a thing" countries than in the richer ones. The reason was not reaction. This is a reaction of rejection. It is less that the virus was more virulent, nor that there were common and generally comes from people who are fewer medical services; but that in poorly nourished actively involved in marketing and promoting the use of | communities the microbes attack a host which, because vaccines. When asked to explain what they mean by the _ of chronic malnutrition, is less able to resist." reaction, these people tend to argue one thing: that The report concluded: this data cannot be used to assess vaccine performance. "For the time being, an adequate diet is the most And they are correct. These graphs do not make any effective ‘vaccine’ against most of the diarrhoeal, attempt whatsoever to measure the performance of a respiratory and other common infections." vaccine. They simply put things into historical perspective. That perspective shows us that vaccines were | Conclusions unimportant influences in the bigger picture, that they arrived The death rates from diseases for which we developed too late to be considered vaccines fell substantially and potential contributors in any consistently from the mid- significant way. 1800s. Most of this decline So, in historical perspective, The death rates from occurred well before vaccination made little or no diseases for which we vaccination was introduced. Routine vaccination was not even available for some of the diseases until contribution to the decline in deaths from each illness. developed vaccines fell substantially and they had almost disappeared. Each Real Reason for the Decline . . death rate was declining Whatever caused deaths to consistently since the substantially prior to decline before vaccines were mid-1800s. vaccination and, as we have no introduced, it continued quite reason to suspect that trend uniformly after they were would have changed, we have introduced. Professor Thomas no reason to credit the small McKeown in The Role of Medicine (Basil Blackwell, Oxford, | remainder of the decline to vaccination, especially when 1979, p. 162) says: we can see that other diseases continued their decline "Experience of the last two centuries indicates that — without vaccines being available for them. infectious deaths fell to a small fraction of their earlier The story is the same for the rest of the developed level without medical intervention, and suggests that world. If you follow this footnote," you will be able to had none been available they would have continued to —_ peruse numerous historical graphs from England, the decline, if not so rapidly in some diseases." USA and Europe which confirm this. Cs bowadiaal Lintacinna siven Fae tha developed vaccines fell substantially and consistently since the mid-1800s. 1979, p. 162) says: "Experience of the last two centuries indicates that infectious deaths fell to a small fraction of their earlier level without medical intervention, and suggests that had none been available they would have continued to decline, if not so rapidly in some diseases." The reasons most medical historians give for the decline in deaths from these diseases are improvements in nutrition, hygiene and sanitation, nutrition being foremost. A very influential report by Dr Moises Behar, published in World Health, explains as follows:” "In the now developed countries, mortality due to tuberculosis, measles, whooping cough, typhoid fever, diarrhoeal diseases and many other infections began to fall long before the responsible microbial agents had been identified and before specific measures of control or treatment were known. This decline—much greater than anything achieved since through the use of vaccination and antimicrobial drugs—paralleled the improvement in general living conditions. Microbes and the diseases caused by them prosper, therefore, only in environmental conditions favourable to them." Regarding nutrition, Dr Behar went on to say: "A debilitated organism is far less resistant to attack Where Do We Go From Here? This book is not critical of health professionals but of the system of thought underlying our collective belief in vaccines. The research world has indeed witnessed many significant contributions from committed individuals who find ways to help lift humanity from suffering. However, there have also been many displays (not so prominently paraded) of the insignificance of medicine in some fields of endeavour. But these are generally not acknowledged to the level where the public is aware of them. Nowhere is this lack of integrity more blatant than in our recollection of the role of vaccines in the historical decline of deaths. It is time we changed that. It is time we stopped regurgitating claims that vaccines saved us from the APRIL - MAY 2011 NEXUS ¢ 33 The death rates from diseases for which we Continued on page 80 www.nexusmagazine.com