Osler utmanar anti-vaccinisterna, 1910

In an article in the American Magazine, on the service to the community ofthe control and abatement of disease and pain by medical science, Dr. William Osier says in consideration of the value of vaccination: \"A great deal of literature has been distributed casting discredit upon the value of vaccination in the prevention of smallpox. I do not see how any one who has gone through epidemics as I have, or who is familiar with the history of the subject, and who has any capacity left for clear judgment, can doubt its value. Some months ago I was twitted by the editor of the Journal ofthe Anti Vaccination League for a curious silence on this subject. I would like to issue a Mount Carmel like challenge to any ten unvaccinated priests of Baal. I will go into the next severe epidemic with ten selected vaccinated persons and ten selected unvaccinated persons. I should prefer to choose the latter--three members of parliament, three anti-vaccination doctors, ifthey could be found, and four anti-vaccination propagandists. And I will make this promise -- neither to jeer nor to jibe when they catch the disease, but to look after them as brothers, and for the four or five who are certain to die I will try to arrange the funerals with all the pomp and ceremony of an antivaccination demonstration.