Notes on the effect of measles and measles vaccine in a
virgin-soil population of South American Indians.
Neel JV, Centerwall WR, Chagnon NA, Casey HL.
From the article: The
impact of measles on a primitive population is well known. It seems to
have been generally assumed that this is a result of a greater
"constitutional" susceptibility. However, in 1877 Squire (1) describing
the collapse of village life during an epidemic of measles in Fiji, clearly
presented a contrary view: "Excessive mortality resulted from terror at the
mysterious seizure, and the want of commonest aids during illness; there were
none to offer drink during the fever, nor food on it subsidence.
Thousands were carried off for want of nourishment and care as well as by
dysentery and congestion of the lungs. We need to invoke no special
susceptibility of race or peculiarity of constitution to explain great
mortality."
ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND
MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION
PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS
OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR
LEGAL ADVICE. THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND
COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH
YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.
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