There are many vaccines that the medical establishment recommends. The following information concerns the Pertussis vaccine, which is one of those recommended. It is not meant as medical advice. Every consumer needs to investigate the matter for themselves and draw their own conclusions. The Pertussis vaccine is known to cause irritation of the brain and neurological system. There is also the potential danger of Thermisol, a mercury derivative often used as a preservative in vaccines.

Vaccine development was in high gear in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Whooping Cough, which had been declining in numbers was a identified as a significant health problem. Many in the medical community saw it as a public health issue that needed to be addressed through mass vaccinations. What was not known was at what age the vaccinations should begin and how much to give the children.

Early researcher, Louis Saur was a proponent of mass vaccination. In his research which he published in 1941, he observed that only 27 percent of the population of 89 babies he administered his vaccine to had developed the antibodies needed for protection when vaccinated earlier than three months. Based on this he recommended that the vaccination begin no earlier than seven months.

Saur’s findings led to a great debate. Many physicians considered whooping cough so dangerous that vaccination needed to begin earlier believing that partial protection was better than none at all. The problem was eventually settled by recommending that the initial shot be administered at two months, followed up with booster shots given at four months, six months, eighteen months, and between the ages of four and six years.

Europe pursued a different course and chose to begin vaccinations after six months of age in order to allow improved antibody response.

The United States never performed their own clinical trials in the States concerning the safety of the pertussis vaccine regarding it being safe and effective. Instead, the US policy was based on research conducted by the British Medical Research Council. The Council conducted trials on the safety of the vaccine on a population of 50,000. The council determined the vaccine was safe for children. The majority of the children were 14 months of age and older. The United States based its policy on those findings and concluded the vaccine was safe for babies two months old. What is not addressed is the significant difference in body weight between a two month old and a fourteen month old.

First, the linkage between vaccines and death was signaled in 1933 by a researcher named Thorvald Madsen in Copenhagen. He observed that two babies died immediately after receiving the vaccination shot.

In the United States, physicians during the 1930’s observed some children experienced fevers, convulsions and collapse. The physicians noted these reactions, yet believed that the greater good served by the vaccine for whooping cough was insignificant compared to these reactions in segments of the population.

In the 1940’s researchers Werne and Garrow documented the death of identical twins within 24 hours after receiving their second recommended shot in 1946. Researcher Matthew Brody a year later described two cases of brain hemorrhaging leading to death after the shot.

In 1948, Randolph Byers and Frederick Molls of the Harvard Medical School conducted a small study of 15 children who reacted violently after receiving the vaccination. The children had been healthy prior to the shots and within 72 there were severe symptoms. The medical community was displeased by the article when it was published. Prior to that time, the literature had considered the vaccine relatively safe from side effects.

In 1955, Niels Low with the Department of Neurology at the University of Illinois observed that the EEG of some infants changed after being given the pertussis vaccine. His report said’ “mild, but possibly significant , cerebral reactions occur in addition to the reported very severe neurological changes”. As research continued, the number of reaction cases increased. The possible reactions were called, “notifications” . The number of these notifications was 30,000-90,000 by the late 1950’s.

Note: These are reactions some people have reported after the vaccine was administered. In these cases, the child had not previous history of such disorders, which appeared within 72 hours of the vaccine. Although some researchers claim the number is one in 1,750 children, some research suggests this number may be one in 333 children. Many of these reactions are of the type that parents report shortly after administration of the vaccine. Longer term reactions are not often reported or included.

The CDC form given to parents for pertussis vaccination states, “Sudden unexplained infant deaths have occurred rarely after vaccination, but it is not known whether this has been caused by the vaccine.” The inclusion of such a warning indicates that there are some risks. The number of reactions varies due largely to a lack of a clear definition of what ‘vaccine damage” is.

Possible adverse reactions include:

1. Skin reaction
2. Fever
3. Vomiting and Diarrhea
4. Cough, runny nose and ear infection
5. High pitched screaming and persistent crying
6. Collapse or shock-like episode
7. Excess sleepiness
8. Seizure disorders (including convulsions and epilepsy)
9. Infantile spasms
10. Loss of muscle control
11. Blood disorders (thrombocytopenia and hemolytic anemia)
12. Diabetes and hypoglycemia
13. Learning disabilities and hyperactivity

One area of vaccine information that rarely makes it to the public is that not everyone is a good candidate for vaccination. Some of the contraindications of pertussis immunization include:

1. Personal or familial history which contains convulsions or neurological problems

2. A family member who reacted to the vaccine

3. History of cerebral irritation.

4. History of severe allergic reactions

5. Chronic illness or recent severe illness

As with any decision concerning your health, consider the information available. Discuss the issue with your doctor, study the issues for yourself. When it is your child, you need to weigh the information carefully.