Life, 1915-03-11 · page 28 of 48
Life — March 11, 1915 — page 28: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page documents reader responses to Life's anti-vaccination editorial campaign. Two letters from American physicians and a doctor of refraction express strong opposition to mandatory smallpox vaccination, claiming it causes more deaths than it prevents and serves only to generate physician income. The cartoon depicts a domestic scene where a man in bed has apparently been swearing in his sleep, with his wife (or partner) apologizing to a visitor. The caption reads: "PARDON ME, SIR, FOR WAKING YOU, BUT YOU'VE BEEN SWEARING IN YOUR SLEEP." **Historical context:** This 1915 page reflects genuine anti-vaccination sentiment that existed in America, though the claims made by the letter writers—that vaccination caused more deaths than smallpox and was a medical fraud—were scientifically false. Life magazine's platform for these views represents a darker chapter in the publication's history, when it promoted medical misinformation. The cartoon appears unrelated to vaccination; it's simply domestic humor about embarrassing sleep behavior.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LY LGERES* From Our Readers A Physician’s Opinion of It Dear Lire: Your staff is to be congratulated by many grateful friends for the stand you have taken, the influence you have exerted and your success in curbing that medical fraud, vaccination for smallpox. After twenty years’ experience as a practicing physician, in which I have been in daily touch with the question, I have been led to believe that vac- cination for smallpox is false in its con- ception unless conceived for business purposes. The latter is easily believed when we remember that the classification of diseases were changed about the time vaccination was introduced. It is unscientific in its application, be- cause nothing whatever is known about smallpox except that it thrives in filthy and unsanitary conditions and places. It is false in its claims, as it does not sinsure immunity. Statistics show a greater number of deaths from smallpox in the vaccinated than the unvaccinated. Dangerous in results, because more deaths are caused from vaccination than from natural smallpox, and diseases worse than smallpox are introduced into sound and well bodies and inherited tendencies that would remain dormant are made active by the operation. In 1914 there were forty-nine deaths from vaccination in New York State. “New York and Buffalo not canvassed. Ro- chester, Syracuse and Albany partially canvassed.” Demoralizing for the physician, be- cause he is. taking advantage of his patient's ignorance, fostering for present and future business their superstition, causing untold anxiety and suffering and many deaths. ss A practice with such a record ought to be exterminated. Very truly yours, Geo. J. Heimer. New York, February 4, 1915. His Reasons Lire Pustisninc Company, Gentlemen: My home is in Blossburg, Pa. My wife and four children live there. The children have all been excluded “from the public schools because I refuse to have them vaccinated. I know the dan- gers attending incident to vaccination, and shall never permit the children to be poisoned because the M. D.’s need the money, I am not an M. D., but a doctor of refraction, but I know so much about the wortblessness of drugs and vaccines that I cannot conceal my dis- gust for all medical things. Medicines cannot cure—they simply lower the pa- tient’s vitality and lessen his chances of recovery. Nearly all drugs prescribed by the regular M. D. are inorganic sub- stances and cannot be assimilated, but are eliminated by the human organism. They simply impose an additional burden upon the depurating organs. However, I am getting away from the subject. Can you put me in touch with some one who can render me some assistance in Penn- sylvania in my efforts to compel the authorities to admit my children to the public schools? I am unable financially to fight alone, and surely there must be some others in that State who object to the murderous cause of the M. D.’s as well as myself. If you have any in- formation that will assist me I will be your lifelong debtor. Sincerely yours, Da, Futs.woop, Wasutnctox, D. C., February 8, 1915. From Switzerland To rue Epitox or Lire, Dear Sir: Regarding your article, “ The Salvage of Germany”, in the number issued on the last day of the last year, I beg to say a few words to ease your mind. You need not to worry about the possibilities of further German success in this war. Germany is having awful time at home. Her conditions are something very pathetic, true informa- tion of which will never reach abroad. You know, now every letter to go out of that country is most rigorously in- spected and assorted and confiscated. Any person passed over the boundary with a letter, without reference to the nature of its contents, shall be punished under the penalty of one year’s imprison- ment, On the other hand, men like our brother Herr Dernburg—I_ call him brother because I also belong to that noble, ancient tribe of Judah—as well as numerous Cherman-Americans are busily working to circulate news made in Germany to cover up the sores in- flicted upon her as the righteous rewards for having forced this war. Internally she is suffering awfully. The only hope is, therefore, you Americans—I mean the real Americans, not the Cherman-Amer- icans who are not American at all, be- cause you must remember when they naturalize they still retain their citizen- ship in their Vaterland—may do some- thing to prevent further misery of the people of Germany by discouraging the War-Lord Kaiser for further folly. I am, dear Mr, Editor, Yours very truly, Zurricu, SwitzerLann, January 12, 1915. “PARDON ME, SIR, FOR WAKING YOU, BUT YOU'VE BEEN SWEARING IN YOUR SLEEP”