Welcome to Anatomy Lesson #63, The Measles, or as Herr Mueller would say, the “measle.” This topic is timely as measles has raised its ugly head in recent outbreaks around the world. As usual, this lesson combines Outlander book quotes, TV series images and science. I hope you find it interesting and useful!
Outlander episode 405, Savages, begins with a sweet harlequin doll removed from a shelf and wrapped in a checkered cloth. Gerhart Mueller and son Tommy are in Cross Creek, purchasing a gift for an expected grandchild. Remember the doll as we will return to it later in the lesson.
Meanwhile, at the Mueller cabin near Fraser’s Ridge, Dr. Claire has delivered a new baby girl, Klara. Grandmother, Rosewitha, and widowed mother, Petronella softly croon:
Thy Mother shakes the little trees,
There Falls down one little dream.
Sleep, baby, sleep!
As always, Outlander books provide for our lessons, this time, measles. <G>
Days after delivery, Pastor Gottfried appears at Fraser’s cabin with terrible news. In Drums of Autumn book, Lord John Grey is already a guest at Fraser’s cabin, has measles and serves as interpreter:
“Do you know a family named Mueller?”
“Yes,” I said, immediate alarm flaring at the name. “I delivered a child to Petronella Mueller, three weeks ago.”
“Ah.” Grey licked dry lips and glanced at the ground; he didn’t want to tell me.
“The—the child is dead, I am afraid. So is the mother.”
“Oh, no.” I sank down on the bench by the door, swept by a feeling of absolute denial. “No. They can’t be.”
“He says it was Masern; I think that would be what we call the measle.”
Slightly different sequence, but in Starz episode 406, Blood of My Blood, Lord John and son William arrive on Jamie’s doorstep for an unexpected visit. Surprise!
Claire is less than happy but tables those insecurities after Lord John falls ill. She hastily summons her best doctoring skills for her imagined rival.
- Did you pass through Cross Creek on your journey? Yes, he did.
- Open your mouth. He does.
- Feels his jawline. Ow, that is tender.
- Palpates his neck. Yep, swollen lymph nodes.
- Orders Jamie to take his biological son, William, on a prolonged camping trip.
Buh bye, boys!
Open, says me!
Swollen lymph nodes in the neck!
Jamie is instructed to whisk William away because Claire has correctly deduced that LJG has contracted measles and is highly contagious!
Her diagnosis is correct and soon she is caring for a very ill, Lord John.
- fever ✔︎
- dry cough ✔︎
- red, watery eyes ✔︎
- headache ✔︎
- rash ✔︎
Fever
Cough
Blood-shot eyes
Headache
Rash
All of this nursing causes Claire to muse (Drums of Autumn):
Nursing is hard work, and all of a sudden I was bloody tired of it.
Nevertheless, Claire honorably attends to Lord John throughout the course of the disease. As he leaves Fraser’s Ridge with Willie, she admonishes him to get plenty of rest and to eat squash, carrots and liver. He rewards her with a look of amused disbelief. Whaaat? Why? Read on.
OK, that is a quick review of the two episodes. Now for the science. Yay!
Cause: Measles is a disease of humans (no known animal reservoir) caused by the measles virus. Measles is also known as morbilii, rubeola, English measles or red measles. Sometimes, measles is confused with rubella, the German measles, or with roseola, but these are different diseases caused by different viruses. What’s with all the R’s???
The measle virus is a tiny innocuous-looking entity belonging to the Paramyxovirus family. Image A shows an electron micrograph of a measles virus. Understand, the colors are not natural, these are computer-generated.
Image A
Exposure: Measles is a highly contagious disease contracted by contact with an infected person. Virus particles become airborne in droplets from coughs and sneezes or via contact with saliva or nasal secretions. The next victim breathes in the droplets or touches the secretions then unwittingly transfers to nose or mouth.
Measles is so infectious, 90% of people who share the same living space (and are not immune) will become infected! (psst…not sure how Willie escapes the measles after sharing a bed with his father at Fraser’s cabin, but he does)
Once inside a new host, the measles virus binds to and infects cells lining the respiratory tract. The virus hijacks these cells to make new viruses which then seed lungs, blood stream and other sites such as GI tract and brain.
Symptoms: Symptoms typically last 7-10 days and appear in two phases:
- Phase 1: symptoms appear 7–14 days after exposure. Lord John exhibits all but the runny nose! Sniff.
- high fever > 40 °C/104.0 °F
- dry cough
- swollen lymph nodes (usually)
- inflamed conjunctivae of eyes
- runny nose
- Phase 2: symptoms appear 2-5 days after phase 1. Lord John exhibits both.
- Koplik’s spots (2-3 days after phase 1)
- flat, red rash (3-5 days after phase 1)
A few comments about the last two symptoms.
Koplik Spots: Koplik’s spots are small white bumps scattered on the oral lining opposite 1st and 2nd molars (Image B). These are pathognomonic (specific) for measles. They may also appear on the roof of mouth, explaining why Claire peers directly into Lord John’s oral cavity in ep 406 (see image above).
In Drums of Autumn, Herself includes Koplik spots in Claire’s diagnosis:
I wrung out a cloth wetted with elderflower water, and wiped Grey’s face and neck. There was no rash yet on his face, but when I made him open his mouth, the small whitish Koplik’s spots on the lining were clear enough. “Yes, you have got the measles,” I said. “How long have you been feeling ill?”
Note: In the episode, this symptom is wrongly timed because Claire sees Koplik spots early on. However, these spots don’t appear until 2-3 days after phase 1 symptoms. Because of the latency, they are often missed by practitioner or parent. But, no biggie. Say, ahhhhh!
Image B
Rash: 3-5 days after phase 1 symptoms, a flat, red rash appears on the face and then spreads to the rest of the body. Understand that victims are infective for at least four days before and four days after the rash – not just during the rash. Ergo, we must hope that Jamie and Willie spent at least 8-10 days foraging in the woods!
Image C is an archival photo of the typical measles rash. This puir little lad is covered with measles rash and feels poorly.
After Care: Generally, after care is the same for other communicable diseases: rest, hydration, etc. However, Claire admonished Lord John about his diet, remember? Here’s why.
Vitamin A therapy is recommended to reduce the risk of blindness from the measles, although it neither prevents nor cures the disease. Liver (yuk!), squash and carrots are high in Vitamin A or Provitamin A which is why Claire recommends them to Lord John. However, Vitamin A is only present in animal-sourced foods, such as liver. Provitamin A is high in squash and carrots but our genetics determine whether we can convert this compound into usable Vitamin A. Some can and some cannot, so supplements may be employed. Complicated!
Image C
Fomites: Fomites are inanimate objects or materials that transmit disease. After ep 405 aired, some fans blamed the doll for carrying measles to the Mueller household. Nope. The measles virus can survive on inanimate surfaces for a maximum of 2 hours. Cross Creek is miles from Fraser territory, so the chance the virus survived on the surface of the doll is basically, zero.
I pointed this out to a FaceBook group which was hell-bent on blaming the doll for infecting the Mueller family. One fan responded that Outlander was a fantasy so, if she wanted the doll to be the carrier, then it could be. I agree with her, Outlander is fiction … but, measles is not!
The most likely source is Tommy Mueller. Why? Because both his parents had contracted measles years before and have lasting immunity (with few exceptions). Tommy was probably exposed in Cross Creek and unwittingly brought the virus to Petronella and baby Klara. Remember, a person is infectious some four days before the rash appears. Make sense? Yay!
Measles Complications: Just so you know, in addition to typical symptoms noted above, measles may cause more serious problems, including:
- diarrhea
- middle ear infection
- pneumonia
- seizures
- blindness
- inflammation of the brain (encephalitis)
- death
Passive Immunity: Mothers who are immune to the measles virus pass antibodies against the virus to their offspring while still in the womb. Such antibodies usually confer newborn infants some immunity against measles, but these antibodies are gradually lost over the course of the first nine months of life.
Which brings us to the topic of vaccines!
Vaccination: This is a loaded topic, but must be addressed. Please don’t run away, anatomy students!
For 150 years, between 1855 and 2005, measles likely killed about 200 million people, worldwide. Vaccination saw a 75% decrease in deaths from measles between 2000 and 2013 alone, with about 85% of children worldwide being currently vaccinated
In 1968, Maurice Hilleman, a US microbiologist, developed an effective vaccination against measles, part of the MMR regime still administered today (Image D). A moment to honor this prolific scientist who developed 40 vaccines of which 8 are still currently used. Thank you, Maurice!
In the Pacific Northwest, where I live, 76 new cases of measles have been verified in the first two months of 2019, most occurring among unvaccinated children under the age of 10.
Although a different disease, an Oregon child recently contracted tetanus, the first case in over 30 years! His hospital stay (at my university) was 57 days, cost almost $1,000,000 and required 100 nurses and doctors for his care. They turned for advice to other parts of the world because none had ever seen the disease!
Have you guessed? The boy was unvaccinated. And, amazingly, his parents refused to vaccinate him even after his ordeal (tetanus does not confer lasting immunity to its victims). Let us not forget that the poor child was extremely ill with involuntary contractions of his spinal muscles and other issues.
One reason my area of the US has been hit hard by measles is Washington and Oregon allow parents to opt out of vaccines based on undefined personal beliefs. The outbreak is causing a review of this policy perhaps to allow minors to make their own decisions about vaccination or to end non-medical exemptions all together (New Scientist, 23 Feb., 2019).
Why are folks shunning vaccinations for their children? Well, some are afraid to do something they may regret. Some believe vaccines are the way a nefarious government could do harm. Some don’t want to line the pockets of big Pharm (less than 2% of their earnings coming from vaccines). Still others believe the disproved theory that vaccines cause autism.
Image D
Herd immunity: Understand that in order to prevent an outbreak, a certain percent of the population must be immunized. This is known as herd immunity. For measles, this is 90% of people. Remember, there are always members of any community, such as the immunosuppressed, who cannot receive vaccinations. Thus, it is crucial that healthy members of a community be vaccinated.
If you are unsure about vaccines, perhaps this TEDX talk will help. At the very least, it might give you food for thought.
All in all, ignorance serves humankind rather poorly, in my view.
Gerhart is a perfect example: the man thought measles was a curse brought on by savages so he exacted his revenge upon their healer, Adawehi (Nayawenne). Here from Drums of Autumn:
“They are dead,” he said. “Mein Mädchen. Mein Kind.” Tears welled suddenly in the bloodshot eyes, and ran slowly down the weather-beaten grooves of his face. The misery in his eyes was so acute that I reached out and took his huge, work-scarred old hand in mine.
…Her name meant. “It may be; it will happen.” Now it had, and all that was left me for consolation was her words: “She says you must not be troubled; sickness is sent from the gods. It won’t be your fault.”
Conclusion: Measles is a dreadful, highly contagious disease which has significance for individuals, their families and greater communities. It is not a new disease. For perspective, consider its description by the Persian physician Rhazes in the 10th century – he deemed measles “more to be dreaded than smallpox.”
OK, enough about heaviness. On a happier note, let’s close this lesson with serious kudos to the makeup artist (Ann McEwan?) who created Lord John Grey’s “measles.” The special effects were terrific and convincing. Armed with spray and sponge, she managed to produce a red rash typical for measles!
BTW, the application was done on David Berry’s birthday so he had birthday cake and rash. Brash!
Lord John, you be a handsome dude, measles or no!!!
A deeply grateful,
Outlander Anatomist
Photo Credits: Starz, Image A www.pixels.com; Image B www.sciencephoto.com; Image C www.freep.com; Image D www.nlm.nih.gov
I was burned at 18 months and spent 9 months in the hospital undergoing skin grafts. During that time I contracted the measles and was sent to the county hospital isolation ward. Being so young I only remember the heavy dark green drapes that allowed absolutely no light in. Anything I took in with me had to stay. My parents were told I had the German measles. Fast forward to my pregnancy and a blood test revealed I had not had the German measles at all but the other kind. During my childhood I also had the chicken pox that my brother kindly brought home from school and the mumps which I contracted during a hospital stay when I was 8. Needless to say my kids were all vaccinated but I am concerned about the total number of vaccines they are given to children now. What is the total now? Something like 72? Seriously???
Hi Lynda. Thank you very much for your message. Wow, you have had your share of challenges, that is for sure. I, for one, am glad your children are vaccinated. While I appreciate your concern, I don’t know what the total number of vaccines given to children at present as that depends how vaccines are counted. But, considering the number of communicable diseases that one can get, even 72 doesn’t seem that unreasonable. I suspect that quite a few of this count include boosters. The state of California requires physicians to report on 80 communicable diseases and Rhode Island lists 117. You can read more about this issue, however, on the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/concerns/multiple-vaccines-immunity.htm.
When I was a girl, the only vaccine available was for smallpox. The others came some 25 years or so later. Believe me, if I could have had all the childhood vaccinations, I would. My children got the benefit, however, except for smallpox.
I am flying to Arizona tomorrow, so my response will not be as thorough as I would wish. I am still packing. If I get a chance I will add to the following.
Each of us encounters multiple bacteria and viruses every single day, although not all are pathogenic under usual circumstances. None-the-less, our immune systems are designed to handle these challenges by creating clones of cells (takes about 10 days) to attack and destroy many pathogens. We are also equipped with special cells which naturally recognize foreign proteins (antigens) as non-self and attack them in rapid order. These immune cells are mostly made in our bone marrow but some in lymph nodes or other lymphoid tissues.
There is no scientific evidence that giving combined vaccines is dangerous to people with normal immune systems. There are, of course, those who go through life without benefit of a healthy immune system or one that is compromised in some manner. Vaccines are not recommended for such people or for pregnant women, etc. Another CDC page to consider: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/parent-questions.html and≈
Some scientists (immunologists) estimate that a child could be presented with thousands of antigens in one vaccine and still not overload the immune system. That has not been done, obviously, but these scientists understand the incredible capacity our immune systems have to respond to antigenic challenge. Again, the CDC references I gave you addresses the issue of giving several vaccines as one.
One of the things I have noticed is how many websites there are written by people with zero training in immunology or microbiology. These have sprung up all over the Internet. They are filled with conspiracy theories, claims, warnings, etc. and from what I have read are mostly based on fear. Facts, figures and reason don’t seem to make much of a dent with such folks.
There are also many claims that big Pharm is making so much money off of vaccines, but it appears that less than 2% of its income come from this source even though big Parm makes vaccines for the entire world’s children. Consumer Report says the top 10 sources of income for big Pharm are drugs that treat: RA, Hep C, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, asthma, nerve pain, statins and antibiotics.
Full disclosure: you will notice that my website has no ads at all. This is because I write my blogs for the benefit of others at my own expense. I do not receive compensation of any type. Thus, I am not trying to protect big Pharm by the above statement, just presenting known information.
Just recently, an Italian politician who opposes mandatory childhood vaccination was hospitalized after he contracted chickenpox. Karma?http://time.com/5554843/massimiliano-fedriga-chickenpox-vaccine/
Anyway, back to packing.
All the best!
Hi Lynda. A but more. This is the sourse I tried to find yesterday. There are 14 innoculation recommended in US for children by age 6. I dont know where the high niumber comes from? Perhaps including all the inoculations one can get before traveling to third world countries? Anyway, this is a good article in my opinion. As ypu will see. Sone scientists estimate a child’s immune system could handle 10,000 vaccines at once. https://www.publichealth.org/public-awareness/understanding-vaccines/vaccine-myths-debunked/
I, too, am of a certain age and had most of those childhood diseases, except mumps. When my son came home with chicken pox, I encouraged exposure to my daughter, to “get it over with”. Unfortunately, even though she contracted chicken pox at age two, she got it again in first grade. Apparently the first time was too mild a case to build up her immunity. So much for “getting it over with” … Ha ha!!
Hi Nancy
Dear Nancy
Thank you for your comment. Sorry to hear your little girl got the chickenpox twice! Once is quite bad enough! Yes, a person can get these diseases twice even after “natural” exposure. This is often glossed over, but just as no vaccine is 100% protective, neither do such diseases confer 100% immunity in everyone. For the best protection against chickenpox, two doses of the (Varicella) vaccine works better than one – which happens to be the same exposure your daughter got, only people generally experience little discomfort from the vaccine. I hope she wasn’t too ill.
Again, thank you for taking the time to share this experience!
Bottom line – I agree with you about so much for “getting it over.”
I did nursing training in the early 60’s, when Polio was rampant in the UK. I nursed patients in iron lungs as well. When a lovely 12 year old girl was brought in with polio symptoms and parents who did not believe in vaccinating, then died in 4 days, they had the rest of the family immunised. So sad. I also had a colleague who died of Tetanus. Two of my daughters had red measles at nine months of age, too young for vaccinations. Smallpox was still around in those days and we had a special home surrounded by a wall where the patient was kept for three weeks. Even the staff had to stay there with food being left at the gate to prevent any contamination.
Dear Meg
Thank you so much for your input. You have had direct and pertinent experience in the front lines with these diseases. Very sad when children suffer because of their parents. It appears you and I are much of the same age. I get the feeling that much of those so against vaccines have little or no actual experience with these diseases. And, while they probably exist, I have yet to hear from an anti-vaxers who actually work in the trenches of the medicine. Quarantine was sometimes the only resort in those days. In Scotland, people with smallpox were sent to live on an island. I think this was early 1800s or late 1700s. Thanks for the stark reminder that our own ignorance may prove our greatest adversary. Thank you, again!
Thank you. I love your articles and this one was accurate and very relevant. I’m 67, and don’t rememember having measles, but do remember chicken pox, mumps, AND whooping cough! I was 7 when I had most of them. Once you’ve been ill, your immune system is weakened I guess. I was told that I didn’t get my boosters and that was why I got whooping cough. I remember it vividly, the pain and the strange cough. I never wanted my children to face that. My husband had chicken pox as an adult when my kids were young (no vaccine), has terrible scars, and was terribly sick. Both kids got it immediately after, one six and one just 4 months old. I worry for the youngest still. Thanks again, I been reading you since your first Outlander anatomy lesson, love them!
Dear Nancy
Thank you so much for taking time to comment on the lesson and share your experiences. I am so sorry that your family has suffered from these. We who are older and did not have the benefit of vaccines, have experienced these diseases and how awful they truly are. I am 77 and had measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox. My neighbor who was a pediatric resident contracted mumps because he was unvaccinated. He ended up sterile. There are lots of horror stories about them. I do hope that the vaccination program enjoys a reboot. Those who are at risk for vaccination (infants, pregnant women, elderly, various illnesses) will be protected if those who are able and healthy become vaccinated.
Have a blessed day!
Thank you once again, Outlander Anatomist, for another enlightening and much needed lesson. In my opinion, you are always spot on. (Please forgive the pun. I couldn’t help it).
Dear Donna. I loved your pun! Thank you so much. As expected I am getting some kick back but I was expecting it. Have a lovely day!
As always, I enjoy how you weave your love of Outlander (is Claire putting a choke hold on my darling LJG??) with your knowledge and vast experiences. I had wondered about the doll, just as I had wondered about Claire wiping her hands on her apron after examining the poxed sailors from the Comte’s ship in France.
I too had M/M/R and also the chicken pox. Don’t remember much from those times other than being diappointed that there wasn’t a chicken to be found and at another time, the doctor, AT MY BEDSIDE, saying it was the German measles, and me looking for signs of Nazis and relief that there was none! Both my sons had chicken pox and they suffered. The one memory I have is of them being in the tub for an oatmeal bath and both of them whaling in distress and pain. I do recall having fear when they were vaccinated back in the 80’s because of the known risks, but all went well thank God. Flash forward to 2016 were to help me in dealing with my health issues I did a 23 and Me and joined online groups and learned of the concerns on vaccinations for children with certain SNPs. Since all that is behind me (though this reminds me I probably am due for tetenus) I haven’t paid close attention. A Dr. Amy Yasko is big on autism relating to MTHFR SNPs. Dr. Ben Lynch is one that I follow more closely for the MTHFR, et al; he has young children, but I don’t recall were he falls in the vac controversy. Hope you are enjoying you weekend!
Hi Chris
Thank you for writing and for your kind words. I very much enjoyed your comment. The episode with Claire wiping her hands on her apron with smallpox was unfortunate. This is why. Smallpox can be spread via fomite so she should have cleaned her hands thoroughly before touching anything. Or, perhaps she burned that apron along with the ship? 🙂 On the other hand, measles is not spread by fomite, unless somehow one contacts secretions within that two hour window mentioned in the lesson. The nature of the spread varies with the disease. I hope this makes sense.
Your story of looking for chickens and Nazis is very touching. Some children suffered greatly from these childhood diseases before vaccines were available. I was also one of those in the 40’s. My sister and I had mumps and chickenpox at the same time and had to be kept in a darkened room for over a week. We had ghastly headaches and were very photophobic, not to mention the incessent itching!
As my lesson stated, vaccinations are not for everyone including pregnant women, people with poorly functioning immune systems, folks with certain diseases, the elderly, etc. In my view, we really don’t know enough yet about SNPs and the effect of vaccines on those with such DNA changes. Some SNPs are associated with more frequent occurrence of diseases such as cystic fibrosis. I hope research will establish protective guidelines for such individuals should it be shown that vaccines negatively impact significant SNP variations.
Of course, vaccines always carry some risks but they are extremely low. And, no vaccine is 100% effective in conferring immunity to the the vaccinated but then, getting these diseases “naturally” also does not confer 100% life long immunity. Depends on the disease. As a general rule, the incidences of an otherwise healthy population having side effects from vaccination are lower than the morbidity and mortality of having these diseases.
There are individual doctors who are great believers in the link between autism and vaccines. They always hint at benefits to big Pharm, money made by the CDC, etc., but they also fail to mention that they, too, make money promoting their particular view. Also, if most of these folks were infectious disease docs or internists I might put more stock in their views. Anyways, consider these:
1. a new study provides evidence that autism can develop while the child is in the womb. Conformational studies need to be done on this topic to verify.
2. autism also can appear in children before they are vaccination or even if they have received no vaccines at all
3. The British surgeon (Andrew Wakefield) who published his 1997 study in the prestigious Lancet linking vaccines and autism ended up losing his medical license for ethical violations, undisclosed financial conflicts of interest and procedural errors. The Lancet retracted his paper. Unfortunately, his claims fell on fertile ground b/c there are always those who are deeply attracted by conformational bias and conspiracy theories.
4. Several other major studies have been conducted since then and none found a link between vaccine and autism.
5. If vaccines caused autism then hundred of millions of people should have autism. They don’t. In 2017 alone, 85% of the worlds children were vaccinated against measles. That represents millions just in one year. Wouldn’t one expect to witness a massive increase in autism if the proposed link is true?
OK. Gotta go. I am making a necklace for Diana. BTW, she tweeted me an emoji kiss last night with the comment that she loved the lesson, as always. She has been following me since 2014 when I first started my blog.
Have a great Sunday Chris and thank you so much for your civil and interesting comment.
OA
One of the biggest problems with citing deaths is not taking into consideration the conditions in which the child is living. In the past generally and still in many places around the world, a child may easily die from a “common cold” due to terrible hygiene, lack of sanitation, lack of clean water, poor nutrition and malnutrition and the inability of the family or caretakers to properly care for the ill child. In Outlander, the family of immigrants would have far less access to food such as fruit and fresh vegetables, no running water, primitive sanitation and a great deal of stress weakening the adults. A child who is already well fed and living in clean surroundings with a parent or caretaker who knows how to administer the proper care will rarely die from what are termed, “childhood diseases” and they all do have benefits, such as preventing them occuring in adulthood, which can be much more dangerous. Each family should make the decision with their doctor as factors such as the child’s general health or immunity disorders, etc. are part of this kind of decision. In the end, if the parents do not want to risk their child having the disease, that is their right to vaccinate. On the other hand, vaccines are not the same today as they were 50 years ago. They are more numerous and more complex and whether or not they can cause autism, there have been many deaths and major disabilities attributed to individual cases immediately after the vaccine has been administered. We need to get away from the “all or nothing” mentality that plagues so many issues today, especially in the US.
You make some good points Christine, but there are problems with pretty much all of them.
You don’t state your age but I wonder if you are younger than 45. I am 77 and remember well the illnesses sweeping through communities when I was a girl, leaving devastation in their wake: measles, mumps, chickenpox, whooping cough, diphtheria, scarlet fever, polio. Hospital wards were filled with iron lungs keeping children alive because the polio virus had destroyed the motor neurons to their muscles of respiration.
The reason we have rarely seen these diseases for decades in the US is because most people had been immunized against them. Sadly, this is changing as more people opt out of vaccines. If people choose to not vaccinate an otherwise healthy child, then home school that child and don’t sent it out into the community with a welcome sign to serve as a potential receptacle for these communicable pathogens.
Vaccines are better today than years ago because science understands their production and purification better. No vaccine is 100% effective but then getting these diseases naturally also does not confer 100% protection – as some people can get them again. Not all of the lay public understands this.
Further, vaccines use the same process of exposure that occurs naturally only it is safer and quicker – dead or attenuated viral proteins are in the vaccine. When the body is confronted with those proteins, the immune system launches an all-out effort to create antibodies against them. Then, if and when the inoculated person comes into contact with that virus, the body is already primed to attack the viral proteins and destroy them. This is precisely how the body reacts when confronted with the actual disease only it takes at least 10 days for the body to gear up and make the antibodies against the disease. By then, the disease has taken hold, sometimes with devastating effects.
You are right, people have the right to make their own choice (at least in some states), but hopefully that time is swiftly coming to an end for the sake of all our children not just yours. The rights of one have taken precedent over the many for years now, but when it comes to public health, those individual rights should not override prudent public health practices. After all, we do not allow a person to smoke in public places although some certainly would like to – because we know the smoke detrimentally affects those around it.
I have not made an all or nothing argument, my position is in behalf of individuals who CANNOT receive immunizations for various reasons, such as being immunocompromised. These folks should be protected by establishing herd immunity. I also advocate for the little child who does not have the ability to make prudent health choices of their own. Why make them suffer through a disease when it can likely be prevented? This is not politics, this is science.
One last point….if vaccines caused autism then millions upon millions of people would exhibit this condition. They don’t.
Sadly, taking an American’s medical rights away is a slippery slope. Are you condoning that all able adults also get all the shots ongoing? There may be no end to the creeping control and questionable profit of the pharmaceutical companies. Attorney Robert Kennedy, as a watchdog, knows the CDC is owner of many patents and makes unknown profit. The government vaccine injury compensation has paid out 4 billion in injury since its creation. You have many many false statements in your fearsome pronouncements. Even the list of complications is so rare I believe not one of those has been documented for many years. There are many more deaths from vaccinations, never mind autism and not one from measles this year as I have not seen documented. One child, one, gets tetanus and you use this to call down forced vaccination mandates on all Americans. I have personal experience of vaccine injury so you will not convince me of their safety. Perhaps you are one of those people who accepts injury and death of a few for the “greater good”? I am highly distressed that you have used the platform of Outlander to spread your fearsome propaganda. Finally, I stand for vaccine choice, continued medical rights as it stands in federal law right now. Why trust the government, profit making pharmaceutical companies or Outlander Anatomy to advise us on medical decisions for us and our children?
Dear Hannah
OK, I can see this is a huge topic for you.
Of course you are not obliged to follow my “fearsome” propaganda, even though you are clearly following someone’s. If this is a free country for you to make choices, it is also free for me to pursue what is important to me.
I am not trying to take away anyone’s medical right. Rather it is an appeal for rational thought about this issue. Did I not write that not everyone is a candidate for vaccines? You are clearly one of those. I didnt condemn those who don’t choose to have their children vaccinated. I would rather they home school them, though, and I do hope that exemptions are modified from their current state so the greater community is protected. After all, a lot of folks would like to smoke in public places, but they are not allowed to because we know full well that their choice puts others at risk.
Measles was declared eradicated in the US in 2000. Now, new cases are brought in from other countries. The US doesn’t yet have a lot of cases of these diseases but they are still out there in a world which gets smaller every day. And as fewer Americans get vaccinated there will be more of these disease expressed in our communities. Here, I refer to those which can be vaccinated.
I used the one case of teranus because it is extraordinary! But, it was also a stark example of the ends which some parents will go to avoid vaccinating their children. Leaves many folks scratching their heads.
When I was a girl, measles, chickenpox, mumps, whooping cough, scarlet fever, polio left whole communities devastated b/c it was before such vaccines were available. We rarely see such diseases now b/c people are vaccinated against them. There was no reservoir for these viruses to propagate. As a nation, the fruits of those programs are still in effect but this will assuredly wane if a significant part of the population spurns them and as older vaccinated people die.
No vaccine is 100% effective but getting these diseases naturally also does not confir 100% immunity. The vaccine for otherwise healthy people is the best method we have for protecting the vulnerable in our community who cannot be vaccinated and are being exposed to these diseases.
I understand your wariness about big pharm. But what about a group that doesnt make money from vaccines, the World Health Organization. This is what they have to say about measles. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/measles
I make no apology for using Outlander to write about diseases, cures, treatments, injuries, etc. I have been doing this since 2014, including other lessons on vaccination. Diana has no problem with it either. Within the last hour she tweeted me with a kiss emoji and the statement that the lesson was great as always. She is a follower and that is good enough for me. Check out her Twitter feed.
I totally agree with you about Willie. There should have been no way for him to escape getting the measles, presumably sleeping with his dad all the way from Cross Creek and, in the book, hanging out with wee Ian, who was infectious as well. Maybe his dip in the privy cured the germs!
Hi Laurie. Maybe you are right! 😁 Falling into a privy might kill some germs but give him others? And, yes, Willie should have contracted the measles from either his pa or young Ian, or both! 👍🏻
Hi I just read your article about Outlander and the measles episode. I’m a nurse but an old one who does not take care of kids and has never seen an adult patient with the disease. I thought that ( at least when I was a kid in the fiftys) if one child had the disease others were encouraged to be exposed to get it over with. Really enjoyed the article
Hi Patricia. Glad to meet a fellow traveler. Thank you for your comment. I was a kid in the 40s and recall the practice of allowing kids to get exposed to get it over with. This was done because vaccines against “childhood” diseases were unavailable in the 40s and 50s. However, the vaccine works very much like exposing kids to other kids with the disease. It exposes the body to a small dose of an an attenuated or dead virus that allows the body to make antibodies against the viral proteins so when a person contacts the real thing, they already have antibodies made against it. No vaccine is 100% effective but stats show they are so much better in regards to morbidity and mortality that I wish everyone who can would get them.
They are horrible …I remember having them. Along with mumps and chicken pox …one of my niece refused to have her children vaccinated and I just dont understand why. Her physician supports her
Hi Dara
Thank you for your comment. I also suffered those childhood diseases since most of the vaccines were unavailable in those days. I am sorry your niece made the choice she did. But, even more so, I don’t understand her physician.
Thank you. Your work is greatly appreciated.
Oh, what a lovely comment. Thank you!
Thank you for this wonderful review of a nasty disease. When I was a kid in the 1950’s, I had all 3 – measles, rubella and rubeola. Also mumps 3 times. I remember these illness quite well and would not wish them on any child.
Hi Anita
Thank you so much for your comment. You are most welcome.
Similar to you, I had measles, mumps and chicken pox. The mumps and chicken pox at the same time. I was very ill. I agree, I wouldn’t wish any of these on any child.