35 
worse after-results from vaccination 
than from small pox. When once the 
people understand this they will fly as 
madly from the remedy as in former 
years they tried to fly from the dis- 
ease. 
How then is it if vacciration is so 
dangerous and the people unaware of 
their danger, that physicians do not 
enlighten them. Are not physicians 
honest in their seeming belief in the 
innocence of vaccination? They can 
hardly be under the circumstances. 
They are in somewhat the fix of a cer- 
tain bishop who, the historian tells us, 
insisted on burning a_ tew heretics 
every year because the lumber yard of 
his brother-in-law made a specialty of 
pitched faggots. The money which the 
physician takes from vaccination is 
easy money; in some States it is money 
which the law sends them. They cer- 
tainly shou!d be pardoned if in the face 
of so great temptation they are not 
honest even with themselves. The 
peope who place them in so great temp- 
taton should rightly bear the blame. 
What is to be done by these who are 
awake to the situation is a puzzling 
question. They do not see the right of 
submitting to vaccination, nor do they 
like to fight against the law—even an 
unjust law. Bacon, I think it was who 
said that the way to destroy the influ- 
ence of bad books was to make more 
books and better ones. Something like 
that might be worked in the case of 
compulsory vaccination. Leave those 
laws just as they stand and add an-. 
other restraining physicians from re- 
ceiving a fee for vaccination under 
penalty of a $500-fine. With such a 
law in force we could hope for the hon- 
esty of the physicians, the consequent 
intelligence of the people and a happy 
escape from the terrors of vaccination, 
OLIVE EDDY ORCUTT, M. D. 
> —_—_—___—_ 
PHYSICIANS ON ALCOHOL. 
The following statement has_ been 
agreed upon by the Council of the Brit- 
ish Medical Pemperance Association, the 
American Medical Temperance Associ- 
ation, the Siciety of Medical Abstainers 
in Germany, and leading physicians in 
England, on the Continent and in Amer- 
ica;— 
We think it ought to be known by all 
that: 
Experiments have demonstrated that 
even a smal quantity of alcoholic l- 
quor, either immediately or after a 
The West American Scientist. 5 
36 
short time, prevents perfect mental ac- 
_ticn, and interferes with the function of 
the cells and tissues of the body, im- 
pairing self-control by producing pro- 
gressive paralysis of the judgment and 
of the will, and having other markedly 
injurious effects. Hence, alcohol must 
be regarded as a poison, and ought not 
to be classed among foods. 
Total abstainers, other conditions be- 
ing similar, can perform more work, 
possess greater powers of endurance, 
have on the average less sickness, and 
recover more quickly than non-abstain- 
ers, especially from infectious diseases, 
while they altogether escape diseases 
specially caused by aicohol. 
—S——_——a - ae — 
FLOWERS AND THEIR MISSION. 
Yes, almost every fiower that grows, 
In its sweet life seme romance knows, 
Ana some heart at once will wake, 
A joy or sorrow for its sake. 
Even the fragrance of pine trees, 
Recalls a long gone mountain breeze, 
In vain we hoped health would restore 
To the dear peerless child once more, 
Yes, and a little bright green spray, 
The teacher wore that summer day, 
In the folds of her soft brown hair, 
Make such green leaves forever fair. 
With silent language all its own, 
Some flower will make its mission known 
And thrill the heart in after years 
With thoughtsthat fill the eye with tears. 
—Mrs. E. E. Orcutt. 
DELIGHT. | 
Sometimes in reading a story or essay 
we are reminded of other days or scenes 
and this gives greater delight than any 
information found in the essay or the 
most highly wrought invention of the 
story writer. The longer we live the 
more is this so. Our early lives, our 
friends and their remarks aid their do- 
ings reproduced take us away from the 
present, and the life of former times is 
renewed. We laugh or we weep, not be- 
cause of the amusing story or the pa- 
thetic page, but because of revived rem- 
iniscences. Elaborate details are not 
necessary, but a touch, like a daisy by 
the wayside or the song of a bird or the 
fragrance of a pine tree or a picture of 
an old-fashioned flower even, may 
awake pleasant or painful memories. 
—Mrs. E. E. Orcutt. 
sa —-___— 
WEST AMERICAN SCIENTIST: 
Established 1884. 
Published Monthly. 
Price 0c a copy; $1 a year; $10 for life. 
Charles Russell Orcutt, Pditor, 
Number 365 Twenty-first Street, 
San Diego, California. 
WILSON BULLETIN: 
160 N. Professor st., Oberlin, Ohio. 
_“The best exponent of field ornithol- 
ogy.”’ 
Specimen copy free. 
