When it comes to a touchy topics, people have a natural tendency to avoid aggravating the issue. Is it really proper, however, to call something like inoculation touchy?
This and more are some of the issues tackled in the book On Immunity: An Inoculation by Eula Bliss. It's a somewhat lyric nonfiction filled with anecdotes on her time as a mother with her first child and the minefield that is healthcare. By no means is it a straightforward and easy road.
Vaccination is one of the first major decisions people have to make on behalf of their children, and in the minds of many it can be the most vital one. By the author's own admission, tons upon tons of literature were poured over on her part during her pregnancy to help her make the decision when the time came. Literature by doctors is not the only advice she was given though. Society too, plays a great part in the decision, whether we like it or not.
Pressures from other mothers, news outlets, and family beliefs play deeply into the public health we expose these newborns to mere months after birth. Mixed knowledge and rumored science can deeply influence how everyone feels about the issue. Judgement falls down either way onto these poor mothers. Hearsay is everywhere.
Despite admitting to hearing and believing some of these pressures, Eula Bliss still lays down the facts of the issue. She walks us through what's been debunked, namely the issue on vaccination causing autism, and where it all began, with milkmaids and cow farmers with a determination to keep their family safe. It's this instinct to keep your family safe that people really need to tune into.
The reality is that inoculation has been proven time and time again to be more beneficial than harmful. We need to start taking this mentality of protection and thinking beyond the family unit. Like Bliss states, herd immunity works. It's more than a theory, and when things like anti-vaccinations cause outbreaks of measles among children we need to step back and see the bigger picture. What of the immuno-compromised? The elderly who are at too much of a risk? We need to start caring for more than just the personal health when the lives of so many more are at stake with these little beginning of life choices. Like it or not, our lives are in the hands of the many when it comes to immunity, and many lives are in our hands.
REFERENCES:
Biss, E. (2015). On immunity: an inoculation. Minneapolis, MN: Greywolf.
I agree that Mrs. Bliss has been very thoughtful to cover every aspect of the problem, from the raw dry scientific facts to the emotional pressure put on a mother. I'd like to think this book is THE book to read when thinking about getting vaccinated.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your standpoint on this issue: Inoculation is important to more people than just yourself. Through inoculation, we are able to eliminate or repress certain illnesses even if some people remain unprotected against this bacteria. However, I do have to look at my bias being a healthcare major knowing that I have been brought up to trust and respect medical advancements. Eula Biss does represent mothers everywhere that do not contain such knowledge over these concepts, and I believe it is important to make sure vaccinations are well represented both in and outside of the healthcare community. I believe that inoculation should be no question, especially with all the research out today showing the vast array of benefits, but I also know it comes down to trust and willing to follow with a blind eye for some people. By books like Biss', we can help close the knowledge disparity between the healthcare professionals and everyday person.
ReplyDeleteI really like the end sentence, "Like it or not, our lives are in the hands of the many when it comes to immunity, and many lives are in our hands." It perfectly portrays the paradox that we are all faced with. Our lives, and our health can be put at risk by the decisions of others. While at the same time, our decisions can either protect or hurt those around us. With all of the evidence for the success of vaccines, it seems like it would be a no-brainer. However, as soon as doubt is place in someone's head, it is hard to get rid of it.
ReplyDeleteI found it comical but also a good description when you compared healthcare to a minefield. I also agree with you when you say that we need to look at the bigger picture. It's not all about the protection of the individual through the individual's choices, but the protection of most individuals of a large group through the collection of the groups choices (vaccination).
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