And now, what about the chronic disease that we are, all the time, industriously manufacturing for ourselves and for our neighbours?–the most widely distributed of them all (since the Law of the Land has, ordained its distribution)-the disease Burnett wrote about, and termed VACCINOSIS.
As Burnett pointed out, the material which we politely style “vaccine lymph” is PUS, pure and simple. It is disease which we, with the best intentions, introduce into the patient, to protect him against disease.
Burnett’s “Vaccinosis” is rendered easily comprehensible by going back to Hahnemann. Even Burnett never seems to have grasped the true inwardness of the matter:-that vaccination can, to a certain extent, protect from, or modify, smallpox because the vaccinate has been endowed with a similar chronic parasitic parasitic disease, which renders him, more or less, immune from that “like” disease smallpox.
Hahnemann puts it thus: “Two similar diseases cannot repel one another nor can they, like dissimilar diseases, suspend each other, nor can two similar diseases exist side by side, or form a DOUBLE, complicated disease.
“Two similar diseases (different in kind, but very similar in regard to their symptoms and manifestations) will extinguish each other when they meet in the organism; the superadded stronger morbific potency, on account of its similitude of effect, takes possession chiefly of the same parts of the organism hitherto affected by the weaker, which is consequently.
Probably the modern explanation would be, that the chronic disease, in order to be kept in abeyance, must call forth the protective mechanisms of the body, which are therefore on tap the repulse of a “similar” foe.
The manner of infection, and the after-history of the vaccinate, answers Hahnemann’s postulates regarding his chronic parasitic diseases….
Infection takes place in a moment.
Then follows as quiescent period, till the whole organism, being infected, reacts vigorously, and endeavours to throw out the disease on to the skin :-here, also at the place of entry of the infection.
Then, after a more or less violent reaction, the body ceases to struggle, and accommodates itself to a sort of latent toleration, in which, though no longer infectious, the organism lives on, scotched, not killed, to influence adversely the whole life-history of its host, together with his reactions to diseases and drugs :-in such way that the latter, even when homoeopathically indicated, having helped at first, help less and less, and finally fail to cure; -because not corresponding to the occult cause of the patient’s continued ill-health.
Burnett has shown us what beautiful curative work can be done in many chronic conditions, by taking Vaccinosis into account, with its great remedy, THUJA.
His Vaccinosis-a state of indefinite, chronic ill-health, takes different forms in different individuals according to their personal make-up: one becoming asthmatic-another epileptic-while others develop stomach or joint conditions-and others, again, neuralgias, or life-long headaches. Such cases are puzzling and baffling-terribly resistant to treatment-and never to be unlocked without the key that fits-Thuja…. THUJA that wonderful antidote to vaccination, alike in its acute and chronic forms; in those much vaccinated, or who have been excessively affected by vaccination; or again, those who failed to “take”-i.e., to react acutely to the implanted virus. These last, in Burnett’s experience, being the worst cases.
Dr. Burnett used to say that Thuja was worth 200 pound a year to him.
The realization of Thuja, as a great remedy for the vaccinial poison, whether acute or chronic, seems to provide the only possible explanation for the following experiences.
When first I became infected with these ideas, years ago, by studying Burnett’s VACCINOSIS AND THUJA, several interesting cases cropped up….
A little girl, subject ever since vaccination to epileptic fits, or, when these were better, to a pustular eruption on her legs. She was miserable little specimen of humanity till she got a few doses of Thuja, which finished up fits and eruption, and the child bloomed forth-hardly to be recognized.
A small boy with purulent onychia-a terrible thumb nail. Silica failed. He was admitted into L.H.H. where the nail was removed and thumb healed. Then began a series of abscesses-large- superficial-mere bags of pus-most puzzling. Then it came out He had been 8 times vaccinated by a persistent and conscientious doctor, because it did not “take.” He then got Thuja, and the last manifestation, on his forehead, died away without discharging, and he remained well.
I am asked, How does Thuja affect acute vaccination?… It blasts it.
An infant, recently vaccinated and very ill: high temperature: a rash all over body, and the vesicles on the arm just pustulating. The baby got Thuja, and was practically well next day : while the pustules withered and disappeared, leaving no scars.
Burnett published a similar case, showing how Thuja antidotes vaccination in its acute stage….
He was called to see a dying baby, ten week old-ghastly white, and collapsed. Its wet-nurse had been changed two or three collapsed. Its wet-nurse had been changed two or three days before. She “was quite well,” and looked it: “only her arm was a little painful.” She had been revaccinated the day before she took charge of the infant. Burnett concluding that the baby was sucking the vaccinial poison with its nurse’s milk, gave Thuja 6 to both infant and nurse. The baby improved the same day, and was practically well next morning: and the vesicles on the nurse’s arm withered.
Clarke has a striking article on THUJA in his Dictionary, well worth reading. he gives the gist of Burnett’s little book, with many observations of his own.
Hering’s Guiding Symptoms also gives interesting Thuja cases, some after vaccination.
But where I imagine that I am “going one better” than the lot, is by trying to put forward the theory that why vaccinosis is what it is, and why it can do what it can do in the say of vitiating health, is because it is one of Hahnemann’s CHRONIC PARASITIC DISEASES. Nothing else will completely account for its course-or its cure.
