Dissolving Illusions

1. The "Good Old Days" Weren't So Good: Acknowledging the Harsh Realities of the Past

The “good old days,” when everything, in particularly human health, was supposedly better than it is today, are a myth.

Dispelling romantic notions. The 1800s are often viewed through a nostalgic lens, but the reality was far from idyllic. Rampant poverty, hazardous working conditions, and abysmal sanitation created a breeding ground for disease and suffering. The average age of death among the urban poor in Victorian England was a mere 15 to 16 years.

Grim living conditions. Overcrowding, lack of clean water, and inadequate sewage systems led to widespread contamination and disease. Tenements were often overcrowded, poorly ventilated, and infested with vermin. Waste flowed freely in the streets, polluting water sources and creating a toxic environment.

A call for objectivity. By removing the filters of nostalgia, a more objective light reveals a different picture. The documented history of Western civilization describes an endless and unromantic struggle with sickness and death, tragically high infant mortality, and the premature death of young adults. Recognizing these harsh realities is crucial for understanding the true history of disease and the factors that contributed to its decline.

2. Childhood Lost: The Exploitation of Children in Early Industrial Societies

Children from seven years of age upward, were engaged by hundreds from London and other large cities, and set to work in the cotton spinning factories of the north.

Brutal labor practices. During the 1800s and early 1900s, children were often forced to work long hours in dangerous and demoralizing conditions. They toiled in factories, mines, and canneries, enduring physical and emotional abuse. Some children began work as young as four years old, laboring up to 16 hours a day.

Health consequences. The harsh working conditions took a devastating toll on children's health. They suffered from stunted growth, physical deformities, and increased susceptibility to disease. Exposure to toxins and hazardous environments further compromised their well-being.

A forgotten history. The ceaseless labors of children of the past helped build the world we enjoy today, but their suffering is often overlooked. Remembering their plight is essential for understanding the true cost of progress and for ensuring that such exploitation never happens again.

3. Disease as a Constant Companion: Understanding the Scourge of Infectious Illnesses

The depressing influences of extreme poverty, filth in all its forms, and the overcrowding of large cities, are great promoters of contagion, resulting in epidemics, plagues, and pestilences.

A world under siege. Infectious diseases were a constant threat during the 1800s, with epidemics and pandemics sweeping across the globe. Abysmal sanitation, hygiene, nutrition, and living conditions fueled the spread of diseases like typhoid fever, cholera, dysentery, typhus, diphtheria, pertussis, scarlet fever, measles, yellow fever, and tuberculosis.

The role of sanitation. Lack of clean water, proper sewage treatment, and fresh air created a perfect storm for disease transmission. Human and animal waste contaminated water supplies, and poor waste management led to the proliferation of vermin and disease-spreading insects.

The impact on immunity. The gastrointestinal tract, which houses a significant portion of the immune system, was constantly under assault from toxins, infections, and parasites. This weakened the body's defenses and made people more vulnerable to illness.

4. Smallpox and Vaccination: A Controversial History of Prevention

The medically sanctioned operation was as likely to start an epidemic as to stop one.

Variolation and its limitations. The first attempt to prevent smallpox involved variolation, which entailed inoculating a susceptible person with material from a smallpox lesion. While this could provide immunity, it also carried the risk of death and spreading the disease.

Jenner's experiment and the birth of vaccination. Edward Jenner's 1796 experiment, using cowpox virus to protect against smallpox, led to the development of vaccination. However, early vaccines were often impure and caused serious side effects.

The debate over efficacy. Despite the widespread adoption of vaccination, many questioned its effectiveness. Some argued that it increased the death rate from smallpox and that improved sanitation was the true reason for the decline in mortality.

5. Contaminated Vaccines: The Hidden Dangers of Early Immunization Practices

When we recall that vaccine lymph is derived, in the first place, either from a smallpox corpse, the ulcerated udder of a cow, or the running sores of a sick horse’s heels, the choice depending upon the country of its origin and the firm which manufactures it, it is hardly to be wondered at that it has far-reaching ill effects on the human constitution.

Unregulated production. Early vaccines were often produced using unsanitary methods and contained a variety of contaminants. Smallpox vaccines, in particular, were derived from animal sources and could transmit diseases like foot-and-mouth disease.

Serious consequences. Contaminated vaccines led to a range of adverse events, including skin conditions, jaundice, and even death. The practice of arm-to-arm vaccination further increased the risk of spreading infections.

A call for purity. The lack of standardization and purity in early vaccines raised serious concerns about their safety and effectiveness. These concerns highlight the importance of rigorous testing and quality control in vaccine production.

6. The Great Demonstration: People Power Challenges Medical Authority

Few who will read these pages have any conception of what these pestilential human rookeries are, where tens of thousands are crowded together amidst horrors which call to mind what we have heard of the middle passage of the slave ship.

Growing resistance. As people realized that vaccination was not what it was promised to be, vaccine refusals increased. The British government passed compulsory vaccination laws, but this only fueled further resistance.

The Leicester demonstration. In 1885, thousands of people gathered in Leicester, England, to protest compulsory vaccination. They carried banners, burned effigies, and demanded the right to choose their own healthcare.

A turning point. The Leicester demonstration marked a turning point in the anti-vaccination movement. It demonstrated the power of people to challenge medical authority and to advocate for personal liberty.

7. The Leicester Method: Sanitation and Isolation as Effective Alternatives

If such details were attended to, there was no need to fear smallpox, or any of its kindred; and if they were neglected, neither vaccination nor any other prescription by Act of Parliament could save them.

A new approach. After the 1885 demonstration, Leicester adopted a new approach to controlling smallpox that focused on sanitation, hygiene, and isolation of cases. This became known as the Leicester Method.

Remarkable results. Despite predictions of disaster, Leicester's experiment proved to be a success. The town experienced better outcomes against smallpox than other areas that relied on compulsory vaccination.

A lesson in self-determination. The Leicester Method demonstrated that communities could effectively protect themselves from disease without resorting to mandatory medical interventions. It highlighted the importance of empowering individuals to make their own healthcare decisions.

8. The Power of the State: Compulsory Vaccination and the Erosion of Personal Liberty

I assert that it is beyond the functions of law to dictate a medical procedure, or enforce any scientific theory.

Forced compliance. Governments often used fines, seizure of personal property, and imprisonment to compel people to be vaccinated. This disregard for personal choice and freedom sparked outrage and resistance.

Eugenics and vaccination. The eugenics movement, which sought to improve society through selective breeding, used compulsory vaccination as a precedent for forced sterilization. This highlights the dangers of allowing the state to control individual bodies in the name of the "public good."

A call for vigilance. The history of compulsory vaccination serves as a reminder of the importance of safeguarding personal liberty and resisting government overreach in matters of health.

9. The Polio Puzzle: Unraveling the Truth Behind a Feared Disease

The most important question: why did paralytic poliomyelitis become an epidemic disease only a little more than fifty years ago, and as such why does it seem to be affecting more and more the countries in which sanitation and hygiene, along with the general standard of living, are presumably making the greatest advances, while other large parts of the world, regardless of latitude, are still relatively unaffected?

A shifting definition. The term "polio" encompassed a variety of paralytic diseases, making it difficult to accurately track its prevalence. After the introduction of the polio vaccine, diagnostic criteria were tightened, leading to a decline in reported cases.

Environmental factors. The rise of polio in the 20th century may have been linked to environmental toxins like DDT and arsenic, as well as dietary factors like refined sugar. These factors could have weakened the immune system and made people more susceptible to paralysis.

The vaccine's legacy. While the polio vaccine is often credited with eradicating the disease, it also had its share of problems. Contaminated vaccines, vaccine-induced paralysis, and the emergence of new forms of paralysis raise questions about the true impact of the vaccine.

10. The Health Revolution: How Sanitation and Nutrition Transformed Society

It is not strange that health improves when the population gives up using diluted sewage as the principle beverage.

A paradigm shift. The Sanitation Revolution of the 1800s brought about a new understanding of the link between filth and disease. This led to widespread efforts to improve sanitation, hygiene, and nutrition.

Key changes. These efforts included:

• Providing clean water
• Removing human and animal waste
• Improving housing conditions
• Ensuring food safety
• Promoting breastfeeding

A lasting impact. These changes transformed cities from disease-ridden cesspools into healthier environments. They also led to a dramatic decline in mortality rates from infectious diseases.

11. The Amazing Decline: Infectious Diseases Diminish Before Vaccines

By the time laboratory medicine came effectively into the picture the job had been carried far toward completion by the humanitarians and social reformers of the nineteenth century.

A clear trend. The mortality rate for most infectious diseases, including scarlet fever, measles, whooping cough, diphtheria, and tuberculosis, had already declined significantly before the introduction of vaccines. This suggests that other factors, such as improved living conditions and nutrition, played a more significant role in their decline.

The case of scarlet fever. Scarlet fever, a bacterial toxin-mediated disease, declined dramatically long before antibiotics were available. This further supports the idea that factors other than medical interventions were responsible for the decline in infectious disease mortality.

A new perspective. By recognizing the importance of sanitation, hygiene, and nutrition, we can gain a more accurate understanding of the true history of disease and the factors that contributed to our longer life expectancy.

12. Lost Remedies: Overlooked Natural Approaches to Healing

I wish my colleagues who discourse so prolixly about the treatment of this disease would recognize that the grass in the fields, inconspicuous as it is, has a greater power to heal this disease than all their fancied wisdom and unsurpassed panaceas.

Herbal medicine. Throughout history, people have used herbs and spices to treat and prevent disease. Cinnamon, garlic, and echinacea have all been shown to have anti-infective properties.

Nutritional therapies. Fresh juice, apple cider vinegar, and cod liver oil were also used to combat disease. These natural remedies provided essential nutrients and supported the body's natural healing abilities.

A forgotten legacy. These lost remedies offer a glimpse into a different approach to healing, one that emphasizes the power of nature and the body's innate ability to heal. By rediscovering these approaches, we can complement modern medicine and promote holistic health.

Last updated: March 28, 2025