26 The Philippine Journal of Science w" 



MacCombie(25) says: 



I have only seen such cases in vaccinated, sometimes in revaccinated, 

 subjects. 



Wilson (30) says: 



Variola sine eruptione occurs in young persons who have been well 

 vaccinated. 



We think that the above quoted clinical observations in- 

 dicate that vaccination protects against the eruptive, and espe- 

 cially against the pustular stage of smallpox, rather than, or 

 to a greater degree than, against the ivhole disease, smallpox. 



This, if true, would afford strong support for our hypothesis. 



The statement does not in any way imply that the value of 

 prophylactic vaccination is less than has been thought, but 

 does explain some, if not most, of the apparent failures, and 

 also explains the successes resulting from its use; for, with 

 the exception of variolous purpura, smallpox principally kills 

 by, in, or as a result of, its pock stage. 



We do not at this time desire to discuss the conclusions of 

 Councilman, Calkins, (31) Prowazek, Casagrandi,(32) (33) (34) 

 and others as to the cause of smallpox and the nature of the 

 germ. It may be noted, however, that Calkins and Council- 

 man cause Cytoryctes variolx to transmit acquired (loss of) 

 characters, in that by bovine passage it forever loses the power 

 it once possessed of entering the nuclei of ectodermal cells and 

 of undergoing a sexual cycle. 



Prowazek's "initial bodies" (Chlamydozoa) (35) are endowed 

 by him with the power to transmit acquired characters. 



Whether or not the work of any one of these or of any other 

 investigator of the cause of smallpox be correct, it may be so 

 only in so far as it relates to the common element in vaccinia 

 and variola. 



That there is such a common element is shown by the mutual 

 protection afforded by inoculation of the two viruses, by the 

 common histologic and other microscopic findings, by the mutual 

 deviation of complement, (36) (37) and probably by allergic 

 reactions. (38) 



Thus far we know of no work and no observations that neces- 

 sarily controvert our hypothesis. Should this hypothesis prove 

 to be a truth, it might be found applicable to many diseases, 

 and it would certainly provide a viewpoint from which they 

 should, at least, be considered. 



