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Elizabeth Strange

English Composition 1101-227

Dr. Cassel

6 November 2018

The Social Disease

“In 1736 I lost one of my sons, a fine boy of four years old, by the smallpox, taken in the

common way. I long regretted bitterly, and still regret that I had not given it to him by inoculation.

This I mention for the sake of parents who omit that operation, on the supposition that they

should never forgive themselves if a child died under it; my example showing that the regret

may be the same either way, and that, therefore, the safer should be chosen,” (Franklin).

At a time when the smallpox disease ravaged America, the usage of immunization

techniques was treated as a miracle by many. These early vaccination methods saved

American lives, but many people still feared the methods themselves and opposed inoculation

for themselves and their families. One such individual was Benjamin Franklin, a Founding

Father to America and a family of two. Franklin chose not to inoculate his youngest son against

smallpox because he believed immunization would endanger his son’s already weak health.

Despite Franklin’s intentions, his son still contracted the disease and passed within mere days-

leaving a father forever regretful of a death he could have prevented (Franklin).

While smallpox has long since been eradicated, many other vaccine-preventable

diseases remain prominent in the U.S. Before vaccination became readily available, viral

diseases like Pertussis took the lives of hundreds of thousands of infants and children.

Pertussis, also known as whooping-cough, had mild symptoms that were commonly mistaken

for the flu. But at later stages, the infection became paroxysmal with symptoms intensifying and

developing resilience to treatment. Even with medical care, infants were likely to die from

intense seizures and breathing complications (Pertussis Q&A). So when a vaccine for pertussis
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was finally established in the 1930’s, Americans were hopeful for the future of their families and

their country.

Nearly a century later, tens of thousands of cases continue to be reported every year

despite a vaccine having been created for pertussis (“Reported Cases and Deaths”). While not

as devastating as it once was, pertussis is not alone in its impact on America; Mumps, varicella,

and a host of other diseases continue to thrive in our country as well. Modern medicine helped

prevent these diseases from taking lives, but an ever present opposition is putting a hold on any

chance of eradication. Despite how America’s current vaccine controversies present anti-

vaccination groups as a new issue, opposition has existed since the innovation of vaccination

itself. Those today who choose not to vaccinate have the same mindset as anti-vaxxers in the

past- one of mistrust and a lack of understanding that takes a toll on all of America.

Unlike today’s vaccinations, early methods of inoculation were much more primitive. One

such method involved injecting patients with pus to cause a milder infection of smallpox that

provided lifelong immunity (Mulcahy). These methods weren’t always successful as patients

could still die from smallpox, so opposition to these forms of inoculation was understandable.

Many years later, the creation of the first successful vaccine by Edward Jenner in 1796 brought

hope to families who had lost lives to the terrible disease (Mulcahy). But as much hope as the

vaccine brought, it incited an equal if not greater opposition. Even though the smallpox vaccine

was the safest and most advanced method of immunization, people believed that it would still

infect someone with smallpox and could result in death. Religious, political, and even scientific

groups responded with opposition based on morality and their beliefs regarding the vaccine

("Opposition to Vaccines”).

While public reception of the smallpox vaccine remained conflicted in America, a similar

struggle took place in England- the very source of the first vaccine. As outbreaks became more

frequent throughout the country, the government passed the Vaccination Acts of 1853 and 1867

to protect children and infants at risk of contracting the disease. These policies, also known as
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mandated vaccination laws, made it a legal requirement for parents to vaccinate their children.

Soon after, large anti-vaccination groups like the Anti Vaccination League and the Anti-

Compulsory Vaccination League formed in protest of mandated vaccination (“Opposition to

Vaccines”). With these groups came one of the largest anti-vaccination demonstrations in

history- The Leicester Demonstration March of 1885. While many people protested against the

mandated vaccines laws, three parents went so far as to willingly incarcerate themselves for

refusing to vaccinate their children. As police escorted the group to prison, a crowd of almost

100,000 celebrated their decision with cheers and banners of support (Charlton). Vaccination

Acts were later passed that removed penalties against parents who did not believe in vaccine

safety, but these laws still made it difficult for parents to receive government permission for their

decisions.

As the 19th century came to an end in England, smallpox outbreaks only continued to

increase in the U.S. In 1902, the state of Massachusetts passed mandatory vaccination laws

akin to those of England to protect its citizens. But much like the Vaccination Acts in England,

these laws incited fear and anger from Americans. Henning Jacobson, a native Massachusetts

resident, opposed these law as he believed he had a “right to care for his body the way he knew

best,” (“Opposition to Vaccines”). In 1905, Jacobson’s case reached the Supreme Court where

final jurisdiction ruled against him. The Court ruled that states could enact mandatory vaccine

laws to protect the public in the case of widespread viral diseases. To ensure children’s health

and safety, states were also at liberty to exclude unvaccinated persons from education systems

("Jacobson v. Massachusetts”).

Along with vaccine necessity being challenged during outbreaks, controversies

regarding the safety of newer vaccines arose and began altering public opinion. In the 1970’s,

researchers from a hospital in London published a paper suggesting that 36 children suffered

neurological damage following immunization of the DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis)

vaccine. News outlets soon reported on the paper, with media blowing it out of proportion and
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inciting fear not just in the United Kingdom, but in North America, Asia, and Australia as well.

The paper even caused debate amongst medical researchers and public health officials as

researchers either believed the paper’s findings or tried to find a different explanation (Newton).

As vaccination rates declined, the U.K. Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization

committed to ensuring the public’s safety by performing multiple studies proving the safety of

the DTaP vaccine. But the effects of media blowout had already taken their toll on countries like

America- and peoples trust in vaccines would not be rebuilt easily.

In 1998, another study regarding similar principles as the DTaP vaccine would further

encourage public skepticism of vaccines in England and America. A British doctor by the name

of Andrew Wakefield published a case study along with 12 colleagues that implied a cause-

effect relationship between the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine and autism

(Kolodziejski). Once again, news outlets and media sources reported immediately on the story

without concern for its legitimacy or public fear. Studies were conducted soon after that refuted

the claim as a misinterpretation of coincidental events- the time of the MMR vaccine

administration and the appearance of autism behaviors simply both occured in early childhood

(Dales & Taylor). Following these studies, 10 of the 12 co-authors of the paper retracted their

claim based on the data being insufficient. The Lancet, the original medical journal that

published Wakefield’s study, even admitted to not disclosing Wakefield’s financial interests- ie

his funding being sourced from lawyers leading lawsuits against vaccine-producing companies

(Andrade).

Ten years later, Wakefield himself admitted to the study’s results being altered to

suggest the autism-vaccine relationship. The Lancet medical journal retracted the paper in 2010

and Wakefield was struck from the medical register, losing his license to practice as a doctor

(Andrade). Yet even with these groundbreaking revelations, many anti-vaxxers still believe

Wakefield’s study was true. The decade that passed between Wakefield’s study and his

discreditation attributed to the loss of not just parents’ trust, but the general population’s trust in
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vaccines and government involvement- and no amount of research or studies could bridge that

gap.

These controversies are just a few examples of how drastically media influenced public

opinion. Even with advancements in modern medicine and sciences, many people still believe

that vaccines are associated with autism and neurological issues in children. A 2018 multi-

country study asked individuals around the world if they believed some vaccines caused autism

in children. Nearly six in ten people across the counties said they were unsure or believed there

was a link, with almost half of Americans answering unsure or that they believed some vaccines

caused autism (Duffy).

The chart shows a study done by Ipsos surveying approximately 1000

individuals between the age of 16-64 in America.

The most recent vaccine controversy arose from concern over the amount of Mercury

present in the MMR vaccine. Wakefield’s paper had caused the public to question not only the

safety of vaccines, but also the purpose of their contents. Most multi-dose shots, like the MMR

vaccine, used a preservative called Thimerosal that contained minimal amounts of mercury.

Despite the Food and Drug Administration having approved the preservative usage decades

ago, parents showed concerned about the amount of Mercury in vaccines given to their

children. In 1999, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and other government health
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groups reviewed Thimerosal once again. While the usage of Thimerosal was found to be non

harmful, it was removed from most vaccines by 2001 in an effort to assuage public concerns

(“Vaccine Safety”). However, the decision to remove Thimerosal backfired as it encouraged

anti-vaxxers to continue questioning vaccines and make demands based on what they

considered ‘safe’ for their children. These anti-vaccination groups consisted of people unhappy

with how the government had handled vaccines and parents dissatisfied with medicine’s lack of

explanation for autism spectrum disorders. As they began looking elsewhere for support, they

found it not just in anti-vaccination groups, but from celebrities and political figures as well.

When Jenny McCarthy’s son was diagnosed with autism in 2005, she used her celebrity

status to promote awareness of autism. She participated in fundraisers and actively volunteered

for non-profit organizations that helped families affected by autism spectrum disorders, even

going so far as to start her own organization, Generation Rescue (“Who We Are”). Based on

that description, you’d think she was a positive influence on the vaccine movement. Yet she

used her position to promote the idea that autism was something that could be recovered from,

and that vaccines were at fault for her son’s condition. Her group and many others encouraged

the idea that autism spectrum disorders were a result of vaccinations and that people could be

“cured” with proper treatment (Yochim & Silva).

Science established the necessity of vaccines, but reason alone wasn’t enough to

dissuade the fears of anti-vaxxers in the past- and it isn’t enough now. The history of vaccines

showed that new medicine could cause fear as much as it could bring hope to those receiving it

(“Opposition to Vaccines”). When that fear wasn’t properly addressed, it fueled the formation of

anti-vaccination groups and a continuing distrust of vaccines. Even with medicine advancing, a

lot of questions remained unanswered for parents with children with asd’s or neurological

issues. The lack of a clear cause left parents looking for a better justification than science

offered, and they found comfort in the anti-vaccination movement and its leaders.
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Works Cited

Andrade, Chittaranjan. “The MMR vaccine and autism: Sensation, refutation, retraction,

and fraud” Indian journal of psychiatry vol. 53,2 (2011): 95-6.

Charlton, Christopher. “The Fight against Vaccination: The Leicester Demonstration of 1885.”

Local Population Studies, no. 30, Spring 1983, pp. 60–66. EBSCOhost,

sinclair.ohionet.org:80/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&d

b=hia&AN=46366550&site=eds-live.

Dales, Loring, et al. “Time Trends in Autism and in MMR Immunization Coverage in California.”

JAMA, vol. 285, no. 9, 2001, pp. 1183–1185., doi:10.1001/jama.285.9.1183.

Duffy, Bobby. “Autism and Vaccines: More than Half of People in Britain, France, Italy Still Think

There May Be a Link.” The Conversation, 14 Sept. 2018, theconversation.com/autism-

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1922.

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