Measles & Vaccinations

I have been rather interested in the various political stands regarding a measles vaccination. It made me remember how parents in earlier days used to intentionally expose their young children to the measles, mumps and chickenpox.

I think the theory was to have them get the measles, etc., at a young age. That was so they would not be missing school at an important time, or maybe parents didn’t want the children sick when they should be helping with harvest or other numerous chores.

If you were lucky enough to be exposed to any one of those childhood illnesses and not come down with it, you could almost count on a younger sibling bringing it home to you in your high school years. I do remember there being some concern about teenagers having measles, but I don’t think that there was any correlation between chickenpox and shingles in the “good ole days,” so many children were taken to visit someone who just broke out with chickenpox.

Maybe that is why I can’t get too alarmed about a measles epidemic, but on the other hand I am really grateful that we have vaccines for polio, smallpox and diphtheria, just to name a few. Those were the epidemics that our forefathers worried about while measles and chickenpox are the worries of this generation. Medical science and research continues to make life so much easier for us.

Gwen welcomes your memories at 367-5582.