LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM. The second part of Dr. Leon Chaitow's important, thorough, and fascinating review of the pros and cons of childhood vaccinations deals with the question of effectiveness. Dr. Chaitow begins by detailing the many layers of defense that the body has against foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses. He emphasizes the importance of good nutrition and adequate stores of vitamins especially vitamin-C and vitamin-B6 (pyridoxine). He relates the case of abnormally high (up to 50 per cent) death rates amongst aboriginal children in Australia subsequent to routine vaccination. The cause was found to be a massive vitamin C deficiency exacerbated by the vaccination. The problem was resolved through vitamin C supplementation, but he does point out that poorly nourished children may suffer more from vaccinations than well-nourished, healthy children. Dr. Chaitow questions the value of vaccination against mumps and measles and points out that mumps vaccination has been linked to meningitis. He is particularly harsh in his condemnation of rubella (German measles) vaccination and quotes a statement made by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council on the subject, "In view of the doubts as to the persistence of immunity following vaccination in childhood for a period of time adequate to protect the women in her childbearing years and because of the very mild effects of rubella in males, the routine immunisation of children with rubella vaccination is, in the opinion of the Council, not justifiable." Dr. Chaitow also points out that rubella vaccination has been linked to the development of rheumatoid arthritis in children and adults. He has this to say about measles vaccination, "Why would we want to expose our children to something which carries risks of sometimes irreversible side-effects, which is inefficient in protecting against a disease which although unpleasant is relatively harmless (if your child is well-nourished and has an adequate Vitamin-A intake), and is linked, according to researchers at London's Royal Free Hospital, to inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease) and autism?"
Chaitow, Leon. The problem of immunisation. International Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 16, October 1998, pp. 29-33