Of course this case offers but little evidence of vaccinosis or of its cure by Thuja; so I will ask the reader to wade through yet a few more observations which I transcribe from my case books. For if there be such a disease as vaccinosis, in other words, if vaccination have any ill-effects beyond those commonly epitomized under the name of Vaccinia, it is clearly important that it should be recognized, and, its existence being demonstrated, it is desirable that we know how to cure it.
Observation IX.
HAIRLESS PATCHES ON CHIN.
Mr.-,a London merchant, came under my care on July 27th, 1882,to be treated for some roundish hairless patches on either side of his chin, which began four months ago. The larger patch on the right side was about the size of a florin. Had also an old hordeolum on his right lower eyelid.
Has been twice vaccinated, the second time, twelve years ago, did not “take”.
R Thuja occidentalis 30 (r in 24). To take one, dry on the tongue, at bedtime.
September 7th. The bald patches are smaller, the one on the left side nearly gone. Has, apparently, a very bad coryza-? organismic reaction ?.
Rep.
October 17th. The bald patches are gone; the old hordeolum also gone. The closely-shaven beard is now uniform, the previously existing white patches being completely covered with hair. I give this as an interesting cure by Thuja, but I am not very sure that the disease was really due to vaccinosis because of other points in his clinical history. Still it might have been so, as the hair is very powerfully influenced by the vaccine poisoning.
Thus Kunkel observed both a very weak growth of hair and an excessive growth, especially in wrong places, as effects, he believed, of vaccination. Therefore let it stand as a doubtful case of vaccinosis for what it may be worth-but there can hardly be any reasonable doubt as to the cure of the case by Thuja.
Here it might not be amiss to observe causally that the presence of styes on the eyelids is often, in my opinion, a symptom of vaccinosis. This case is not without practical importance, inasmuch as hodiernal medicine hands over a sty to the chirurgeons art; and all the time, poor old dame, weans herself so very much superior to scientific therapeutics usually called Homoeopathy. The conceit of the orthodoxly ignorant is truly sickening.
Burnett was one of the first to speak about vaccination triggering illness. This was discussed in his book, Vaccinosis, published in 1884. He introduced the remedy Bacillinum. He authored twenty books, including the much loved "Fifty Reason for Being a Homeopath." He was the editor of The Homoeopathic World.