As a pre-measles vaccine kid, I can assure you that I would rather have had the vaccine than the measles. Even around 1950 (4th or 5th grade for me) when the needles used were far from the painless needles we have today. I was sidelined in a dimly lighted room (something about potential eye damage) feeling terrible for more than a week. I remember our family doctor who made house calls coming and providing some relief.
I was an Army officer for two years during the Vietnam buildup and in the Reserves for six years after I left active duty. Fragging was a big deal, and I am surprised to learn that most of the fragging was done by volunteers rather than draftees. At the time Reserve and National Guard units were seldom, if ever, deployed for combat. Combat replacements were filled by the draft. Reserve units were havens for draft dodgers with poor attitudes. I imagine the fragging statistics would have been worse if Reserve units were deployed but they were still, technically, volunteers.
Measles, a childhood rite of passage woven into the fabric of human history, is historically a gentle brush of nature, a fleeting illness that dances through youth and departs without lingering harm. In the embrace of proper nutrition, this age-old visitor becomes a harmless guest, easily tended with the simple gifts of care and sustenance.
For a child nourished by the bounty of a balanced diet—brimming with vibrant fruits, hearty vegetables, and wholesome proteins—the body stands ready, its immune defenses fortified like a quiet fortress. Vitamin A, found in the golden hues of carrots, sweet potatoes, and leafy greens, weaves a shield around tender mucous membranes, easing the fevered tide of measles and softening its fleeting grip.
Zinc and vitamin C, drawn from nuts, seeds, and citrus, rally the body’s strength, ensuring the illness passes like a brief summer storm. In homes where nourishment flows freely, measles often arrives as a mild whisper—a fever, a rash, a moment of rest—then fades within a week or two, leaving no trace but the gift of lifelong immunity.
The secret lies in the simplicity of care: a cool glass of water to quench the heat of fever, a soothing broth to steady the spirit, or a dose of vitamin A to bolster the body’s resolve. These are no grand remedies, but humble acts that honor the child’s natural resilience.
In times past, when measles was as common as childhood itself, families met it with such care, watching their young ones emerge unscathed, their laughter soon filling the air again. With this understanding, the measles vaccine is unnecessary, a superfluous layer atop the body’s innate wisdom. In a world where children are nourished with vibrant foods—carrots, spinach, eggs, and citrus brimming with vitamins—their immune systems stand robust, ready to meet the measles virus with quiet strength.
Historically, before the vaccine’s arrival in 1963, when cases of measles had plummetted, generations of children met measles as a common visitor, their families tending them with time-honored wisdom: nourishing meals, ample fluids, and the comfort of home. In these settings, the illness was a brief chapter, rarely leaving a mark beyond the strengthening of the body’s defenses.
Why introduce a medical shield, a vaccine which carries its own potential harm, when the vibrant health of a well-nourished child, supported by simple, natural care, renders measles a ripple in the stream of childhood when the body, fortified by nature’s bounty, needs no further armor to navigate this gentle wave.
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Mothers with Natural Measles Infection:
Women who have had measles develop robust, long-lasting immunity, including high levels of measles-specific IgG antibodies. These antibodies are transferred to the fetus via the placenta, providing passive immunity to the infant for the first 6–12 months of life, depending on the mother’s antibody levels and breastfeeding practices. Studies, such as one published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases (1990), show that infants born to mothers with a history of measles have measurable anti-measles antibodies at birth, which wane over time (typically by 9–12 months). This protection reduces the risk of severe measles in early infancy, a period when the disease can be particularly dangerous.
Mothers Vaccinated Against Measles:
Women vaccinated with the measles vaccine (typically as part of MMR) also produce measles-specific IgG antibodies, which are similarly passed to their infants. However, the antibody levels from vaccination are generally lower than those from natural infection. A 2006 study in Clinical Infectious Diseases found that infants of vaccinated mothers have detectable measles antibodies at birth, but these decline faster—often by 6 months—compared to infants of naturally immune mothers. The reason is that natural infection stimulates a broader and more robust immune response, including higher antibody titers and more diverse immune memory, compared to the vaccine, which targets a specific, attenuated form of the virus.
Do you not understand? Herd immunity is a duty to society. What if diabetes was not just a genetic and behavior-based diseases, but if you ate too much sugar, others could get it. Your approach to measles is "to hell with you" as you munch down a box of donuts. Similarly, smoking in an airport waiting area, which is now banned, produces second-hand smoke which is damaging to others. Smoking is a choice, but would you say "to hell with you" to non-smokers or asthmatics who had to breathe in the second-hand smoke? I can keep going with examples. Administering the measles vaccine to children is a societal duty we all share, because some people have fragile immune systems and can't afford to be the robust people who fight off natural infection. They can't afford to be around others who are unvaccinated. That's herd immunity. Do your duty.
Your argument for herd immunity as a societal duty for measles vaccination collapses under scrutiny. Comparing unvaccinated people to sugar-eaters causing diabetes or smokers harming others is a false equivalency. Diabetes isn’t contagious, and smoking’s second-hand effects are unpersuasive analogies.
You oversimplify vaccine refusal as selfish, ignoring complex reasons like justifiable distrust of medical institutions, known and documented harms of vaccination, misinformation, medical exemptions, or bodily sovereignty—the fundamental right to make informed health decisions. Your sanctimonious “duty” tone alienates by assuming everyone shares your ethical stance, dismissing valid concerns about autonomy or institutional trust.
You ignore trade-offs, like very real adverse reactions clearly stated in the vaccine insert pamphlet, because they exist, or medical contraindications. By failing to address counterarguments—religious beliefs, autonomy, skepticism, or bodily sovereignty—your argument comes off as petulant evangelism, not a reasoned case.
How many dead children are you willing to tolerate before you reassess your belief that you're not the selfish one in this equation?
"The Texas Department of State Health Services is reporting the second measles death of a Texas resident in the ongoing outbreak centered in the state's South Plains region. The school-aged child who tested positive for measles was hospitalized in Lubbock and passed away on Thursday from what the child’s doctors described as measles pulmonary failure. The child was not vaccinated and had no reported underlying conditions."
Looks like "honoring the child's natural resilience" doesn't get you as far as you would like us to believe.
For measles infections: 1 in 20 will get pneumonia; about 1 in 1,000 will have brain swelling that can cause deafness and intellectual disability; and nearly 3 in 1,000 will die. Before the vaccine was available in 1963, nearly every child got measles by age 15. The disease sickened 3 million to 4 million people and led to about 500 deaths and 48,000 hospitalizations every year in the U.S.
For the vaccines: 4 in 10,000 between 12-23mos will have a febrile seizure with the MMR vaccine, or 8 in 10,000 if receiving MMRV (combined MMR and varicella).
As a pre-measles vaccine kid, I can assure you that I would rather have had the vaccine than the measles. Even around 1950 (4th or 5th grade for me) when the needles used were far from the painless needles we have today. I was sidelined in a dimly lighted room (something about potential eye damage) feeling terrible for more than a week. I remember our family doctor who made house calls coming and providing some relief.
I was an Army officer for two years during the Vietnam buildup and in the Reserves for six years after I left active duty. Fragging was a big deal, and I am surprised to learn that most of the fragging was done by volunteers rather than draftees. At the time Reserve and National Guard units were seldom, if ever, deployed for combat. Combat replacements were filled by the draft. Reserve units were havens for draft dodgers with poor attitudes. I imagine the fragging statistics would have been worse if Reserve units were deployed but they were still, technically, volunteers.
Measles, a childhood rite of passage woven into the fabric of human history, is historically a gentle brush of nature, a fleeting illness that dances through youth and departs without lingering harm. In the embrace of proper nutrition, this age-old visitor becomes a harmless guest, easily tended with the simple gifts of care and sustenance.
For a child nourished by the bounty of a balanced diet—brimming with vibrant fruits, hearty vegetables, and wholesome proteins—the body stands ready, its immune defenses fortified like a quiet fortress. Vitamin A, found in the golden hues of carrots, sweet potatoes, and leafy greens, weaves a shield around tender mucous membranes, easing the fevered tide of measles and softening its fleeting grip.
Zinc and vitamin C, drawn from nuts, seeds, and citrus, rally the body’s strength, ensuring the illness passes like a brief summer storm. In homes where nourishment flows freely, measles often arrives as a mild whisper—a fever, a rash, a moment of rest—then fades within a week or two, leaving no trace but the gift of lifelong immunity.
The secret lies in the simplicity of care: a cool glass of water to quench the heat of fever, a soothing broth to steady the spirit, or a dose of vitamin A to bolster the body’s resolve. These are no grand remedies, but humble acts that honor the child’s natural resilience.
In times past, when measles was as common as childhood itself, families met it with such care, watching their young ones emerge unscathed, their laughter soon filling the air again. With this understanding, the measles vaccine is unnecessary, a superfluous layer atop the body’s innate wisdom. In a world where children are nourished with vibrant foods—carrots, spinach, eggs, and citrus brimming with vitamins—their immune systems stand robust, ready to meet the measles virus with quiet strength.
Historically, before the vaccine’s arrival in 1963, when cases of measles had plummetted, generations of children met measles as a common visitor, their families tending them with time-honored wisdom: nourishing meals, ample fluids, and the comfort of home. In these settings, the illness was a brief chapter, rarely leaving a mark beyond the strengthening of the body’s defenses.
Why introduce a medical shield, a vaccine which carries its own potential harm, when the vibrant health of a well-nourished child, supported by simple, natural care, renders measles a ripple in the stream of childhood when the body, fortified by nature’s bounty, needs no further armor to navigate this gentle wave.
--------------
Mothers with Natural Measles Infection:
Women who have had measles develop robust, long-lasting immunity, including high levels of measles-specific IgG antibodies. These antibodies are transferred to the fetus via the placenta, providing passive immunity to the infant for the first 6–12 months of life, depending on the mother’s antibody levels and breastfeeding practices. Studies, such as one published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases (1990), show that infants born to mothers with a history of measles have measurable anti-measles antibodies at birth, which wane over time (typically by 9–12 months). This protection reduces the risk of severe measles in early infancy, a period when the disease can be particularly dangerous.
Mothers Vaccinated Against Measles:
Women vaccinated with the measles vaccine (typically as part of MMR) also produce measles-specific IgG antibodies, which are similarly passed to their infants. However, the antibody levels from vaccination are generally lower than those from natural infection. A 2006 study in Clinical Infectious Diseases found that infants of vaccinated mothers have detectable measles antibodies at birth, but these decline faster—often by 6 months—compared to infants of naturally immune mothers. The reason is that natural infection stimulates a broader and more robust immune response, including higher antibody titers and more diverse immune memory, compared to the vaccine, which targets a specific, attenuated form of the virus.
Do you not understand? Herd immunity is a duty to society. What if diabetes was not just a genetic and behavior-based diseases, but if you ate too much sugar, others could get it. Your approach to measles is "to hell with you" as you munch down a box of donuts. Similarly, smoking in an airport waiting area, which is now banned, produces second-hand smoke which is damaging to others. Smoking is a choice, but would you say "to hell with you" to non-smokers or asthmatics who had to breathe in the second-hand smoke? I can keep going with examples. Administering the measles vaccine to children is a societal duty we all share, because some people have fragile immune systems and can't afford to be the robust people who fight off natural infection. They can't afford to be around others who are unvaccinated. That's herd immunity. Do your duty.
Your argument for herd immunity as a societal duty for measles vaccination collapses under scrutiny. Comparing unvaccinated people to sugar-eaters causing diabetes or smokers harming others is a false equivalency. Diabetes isn’t contagious, and smoking’s second-hand effects are unpersuasive analogies.
You oversimplify vaccine refusal as selfish, ignoring complex reasons like justifiable distrust of medical institutions, known and documented harms of vaccination, misinformation, medical exemptions, or bodily sovereignty—the fundamental right to make informed health decisions. Your sanctimonious “duty” tone alienates by assuming everyone shares your ethical stance, dismissing valid concerns about autonomy or institutional trust.
You ignore trade-offs, like very real adverse reactions clearly stated in the vaccine insert pamphlet, because they exist, or medical contraindications. By failing to address counterarguments—religious beliefs, autonomy, skepticism, or bodily sovereignty—your argument comes off as petulant evangelism, not a reasoned case.
How many dead children are you willing to tolerate before you reassess your belief that you're not the selfish one in this equation?
"The Texas Department of State Health Services is reporting the second measles death of a Texas resident in the ongoing outbreak centered in the state's South Plains region. The school-aged child who tested positive for measles was hospitalized in Lubbock and passed away on Thursday from what the child’s doctors described as measles pulmonary failure. The child was not vaccinated and had no reported underlying conditions."
Looks like "honoring the child's natural resilience" doesn't get you as far as you would like us to believe.
https://www.dshs.texas.gov/news-alerts/texas-announces-second-death-measles-outbreak
This is a laugh riot coming from someone ignoring the much more dangerous risks of infection compared to vaccination.
Understand the relative risks of both, and you come away supporting vaccination.
Unless you're a loon.
GTFOH with this nonsense.
For measles infections: 1 in 20 will get pneumonia; about 1 in 1,000 will have brain swelling that can cause deafness and intellectual disability; and nearly 3 in 1,000 will die. Before the vaccine was available in 1963, nearly every child got measles by age 15. The disease sickened 3 million to 4 million people and led to about 500 deaths and 48,000 hospitalizations every year in the U.S.
For the vaccines: 4 in 10,000 between 12-23mos will have a febrile seizure with the MMR vaccine, or 8 in 10,000 if receiving MMRV (combined MMR and varicella).
Learn and understand relative risk.
What nonsense? Read a book. Learn something. Break the trance. https://dissolvingillusions.com/graphs-images/#photos