VACCINATION
from When a Child is Born by Wilhelm zur Linden M.D.
copyright©1995, 1998 Rudolf Steiner Press
Healing Arts Press, One Park Street Rochester, Vermont 05767
Written in 1957 in Germany
VACCINATION
When a baby is subjected to active immunization, a powerful biological revolution takes place from which he takes a long time to recover. All the greater is the strain resulting from multiple vaccination. Threefold, fourfold and even fivefold vaccinations force me to conclude that the infant organization is regarded as an automaton into which any number of antigens can be introduced which then lead to the same number of immunities. This is an invasion of medicine by a computer mentality. […]
Over the years it has become evident that the attitude to vaccination represented in this book coincides with that of many specialists in the field. Professor Stickel, Director of the Munich Institute for Vaccination, for instance, warns against misuse and excessive vaccination. He suggests that smallpox vaccination, obviously only given to healthy children, not be administered before the second year. 'Problem children', that is any child whose physical or physiological development is not normal, must not be vaccinated. No vaccination for measles. No multiple vaccinations. Tetanus vaccination not until the second or third year. And in general, vaccination should only be undertaken if it really necessary. [...]
The fact that, despite all this, the vaccination of babies and infants persists, comes about because they show very little reaction, whereas older children can react with cramps, fever, vomiting and confusion. It is now known that small children react so mildly because they do not yet possess sufficient strength with which to counteract the vaccination. Thus the danger is all the greater that the vaccine will affect the brain. In the embryo, the skin and the membranes of the brain develop from the same germ cell. Thus all the vaccinations applies in or under the skin (smallpox, tuberculosis, whooping cough, measles, etc.) can easily affect the brain.
A further risk is presented by multiple vaccinations or by single vaccinations administered at short intervals: After vaccination, during the immunization phase, that patient is busy reacting to one particular vaccination and is therefore not able to react to others.
It is most essential to realize, furthermore that the immunity does not last a lifetime, whereas an attack of a childhood disease in the natural way does lead to life-long immunity. In most cases protection through vaccination lasts only for a few years. Hence the many repeat vaccinations that are necessary, for instance for smallpox, measles, polio, etc. And hence also the danger of the child contracting the disease despite the vaccination. When this happens the illness is usually particularly serious and dangerous. These children obviously have little capacity to react out of themselves.
It is obvious that the vaccination question requires a great deal of responsible consideration. Every case is different and must be considered individually. All fanatical advertising in favour of vaccination should be condemned, especially as it usually engenders excessive fear.