NPR Story re: Forced Vaccinations for Small Pox

[Turquesa]

http://www.npr.org/2011/04/05/135121451/how-the-pox-epidemic-changed-vaccination-rules?sc=fb&cc=fp

Some of this story contains some of the the usual party line narratives--for example, of grossly misinformed parents who don't realize that vaccines don't cause autism.

But the discussion of our LEGAL rights is interesting, as is the history of forcibly vaccinating for smallpox.

"There was one episode in Middlesboro, Ky., where the police and a group of vaccinators went into this African-American section of town, rounded up people outside this home, handcuffed the men and women and vaccinated them at gunpoint," says Willrich. "It's a shocking scene and very much at odds with our daily-held notions of American liberty."

I just wanted to share this because it's pretty timely considering the upsurge in a movement to take away exemptions. 

http://www.vaccinesafety.edu/DraftExemption.htm

http://www.ratbags.com/rsoles/comment/fatalexemption.htm

Am I the only one who's hair stands on end thinking about all of this? 

[Chamomile Girl]

Hah! I'm listening to this right now. My husband thinks that its the coolest program ever (but then he would...he is a vaccination historian). I on the other hand am horrified.

[BeckyBird]

Here we go again....according to the article, the current anti-vaccine controversy stemmed from none other than.....*drumroll*.....Wakefield, who else? And then it goes on to discredit him. Another tired old Wakefield hitpiece. As if Wakefield's report is the only reason why we misinformed, gullible parents don't vaccinate. Give us a little more credit, NPR! Oh wait, I forgot--it's hard to find real news these days, since most of the media has agendas to push.

[Chamomile Girl]

Originally Posted by BeckyBird 

Here we go again....according to the article, the current anti-vaccine controversy stemmed from none other than.....*drumroll*.....Wakefield, who else? And then it goes on to discredit him. Another tired old Wakefield hitpiece. As if Wakefield's report is the only reason why we misinformed, gullible parents don't vaccinate. Give us a little more credit, NPR! Oh wait, I forgot--it's hard to find real news these days, since most of the media has agendas to push.

Now hold on...he went on to say that the issue is more complex than that in regards to parents who choose not to vaccinate. He didn't lay it all at the autism door...but he didn't seem very interested in looking very deeply into it either. Even though one of his own kids was vaccine injured. Actually that was pretty gobsmacking in itself...his kid gets a vaccine injury from a vaccine that was later recalled. But its all Ok now because they fixed that vaccine and now its safe .

[Marnica]

 you'r not the only one Turquesa!

[lovermont]

I heard part of the program in the morning and a different part in the evening - but I know I didn't hear the whole thing.

So I didn't hear that his child had a vaccine injury, for example.

I did hear him say vaccine companies are now under strict federal regulations and families are compensated for damages for the rare instance of vaccine injury.
Frustrating because I wanted to say: do you want to mention that the compensation is not paid out by said companies?
Also interesting to hear the vaccine methods of that period (scraping skin away and putting on live disease) and how he said that now we think of antiseptic pediatricians offices when thinking of vaccine administration. Interesting that the host (is it Terry Gros?) pointed out that flu vaccines are still administered at places of employment as well as the pharmacy - hardly antiseptic pediatrician offices.