6/30/2016 AnthroposophicMedicine|'ChildhoodImmunizationProgramsQuestionsfromtheAnthroposophicPointofView,Part1'byKarlReinhardKummer

CHILDHOODIMMUNIZATIONPROGRAMSQUESTIONSFROMTHE ANTHROPOSOPHICPOINTOFVIEW,
PART1

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By:KarlReinhardKummer
ChildhoodImmunizationProgramsQuestionsfromtheAnthroposophicPointofViewPartI(Original
title:ImpfungenimKindesalter.FragenausanthroposophischerSicht.Merkurstab199548:31322.
EnglishbyA.R.Meuss,FIL,MTA.)Vol.12,Nr.4

KarlReinhardKummer

Abstract

Inviewofthelargenumberofimmunizationsrecommendedandthepublicitydrivenpressureon
criticsofmassimmunization,itwillbenecessarytotakeafundamentalapproachtothewhole
process.Immunizationcannotbesaidtobeanattenuatedformofthedisease.Itisaspecific
memoryprocessinwhichthechild'spowersofantipathyareenhanced.Immunizationsarethus
similartowhathappensatamoreadvancedage.Boosterscorrespondinprincipletoallergic
processes.Immunizationsenforceperipheraldigestiveactivitythatmaydemandtoomuchofthe
organism.Thismaypavethewayforallergies.

Longtermeffectsonhealthcannotbeadequatelyassessed,despitemassprograms.Apartfrom
immediatesideeffectstheremaybechangesininfectionspectrum.Theactualgoalof
immunization,whichistoreducethenumberofinjections,maynotbereached.Gapsintheprogram
maycausetheimmunestatusofwholepopulationsectionstobereducedratherthanenhanced.

Lackofinformationonfundamentalaspectsofimmunizationisconsiderable.Thisconcerns
schedules,thenumberofimmunizationsrequiredortheproblemoffailures.Informationisalso
neededontheepidemiologicaleffectofmajorcampaigns.Studiesontheindividualratherthan
collectivestatisticalmethodsaredemanded.

Globalmassimmunizationprogramsdonotmeetindividualrequirements.Theindividualorthe
parentsmustbeallowedtomakeanindividualdecisionforeveryimmunizationprocedure.

Currentsituation

TheStaendigeImpfkommission(STIKO,PermanentCommissiononImmunization)inGermanymade
majorchangestoitsrecommendationsin1994.Diphtheriaimmunizationisrecommendedmore
strongly,HIBvaccinetobeuseduptofourtimesforallinfantsandyoungchildren,MMRvaccine
duringthe15thmonthandatage5forallchildren,pertussisvaccineincombinationwithdiphtheria
andtetanus(DPT)threetimesininfancyandafourthtimeinthesecondyearoflife.

Littleemphasisisputontherisksofcellularpertussisvaccines,withpertussisimmunization
recommendedforchildrenwithneurologicdisease,thoughthefinalresponsibilityislefttothe
physician.Some"childrenwithprogressiveneurologicdisease,seizures,neurologicconditionsthat
frequentlyinvolveseizures"...arestatedtobe"greatlyatrisk.""Thephysicianmustthereforeweigh
theriskscarefully."Acellularpertussisvaccinesstillhavetoprovetheirvalueinpractice.

Twentynineroutineimmunizationsagainsteightdiseasesarerecommendeduptotheageof15,
abouttwicethenumberrecommendedbyStickl.

Alookatsomevaccines

Immunizationsandvaccinesdiffer,anddistinctionmustbemadeespeciallybetweenimmunizations
againstvirusandbacterialinfectionsandthoseagainsttoxins.Vaccinesagainstvirusesareoften
called"live"vaccines.Quastetal.write:"Useoflivevaccinesmeansinjectionofliveattenuated
pathogens,i.e.theirvirulencehasbeenreduced...."Thisisincorrect.Virussubstancedoeshave
someofthepropertiesoflifeformsbutnotthepropertiesoflife.Itcaninducespecificreactionsin
thelivingorganism.Theseare,however,differentinquality,e.g.withBCGvaccine,thanthoseseen
withmeaslesimmunization.Consideringthemtobeequal,asdonebyQuastetal.(p.20f.)or
FenyvesandKurth,ignoresthedifferencesthatexistforvitalprocessesintheorganism.

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Vaccinesagainstbacterialantigens

Rookdistinguishesbetweentoxins,capsularpolysaccharides,amixtureoftoxinsinBordetella
pertussis,lipopolysaccharidesinNeisseriagonorrheaandunknownantigensinBCGvaccine(seealso
Paswell).Inhisview,problemsincreaseinthegivensequence.

AccordingtoSteiner,bacteriaare"animalplants."Theymayflourishwherethereisanexcessive
"tendencytobecomeanimal."Bacterialprocessesbelongtotheanabolicaspectoftheorganism.It
isthereforeunderstandablewhybacterialvaccineshavepoorimmunizingeffects(BCGorlive
typhoidvaccines).Apartfromthetoxins,theyarenotwelltolerated,whichalsoappliestocellular
pertussisvaccine.ExcessivereactionssuchasBCGabscessesmayoccur.TheantigenstoBCG
vaccinationarenotyetknown.

NaturalimmunizationagainstbacterialcapsularantigenssuchasHaemophilusinfluenzaeBstarts
onlyat18months,withareliablelevelofimmunityreachedonlyatage3.Presentdayvaccines
provokeanimmuneresponseevenininfants,becausebacterialantigensthatarenotvery
immunogenicbeforethethirdyearareconjugatedwithanotherantigendiphtheria,tetanusor
meningococcustoxoids.ConjugationofHaemophilusvaccinesmaybesaidtobe"toxification."The
toxoidsraisetheprocesstoalevelwhereastralantipathiesareactive.Thepossibleconsequences
ofthisarenotyetknown.

Bacterialinfectionsareapuzzletothisday.Heiningershowedthatwhiletherewerepertussis
symptomswithwhoopingcoughandparapertussis,nopertussistoxinhadbeenfound.9Inthecase
ofHIBimmunization,informationontheroleofantibodyaffinityislimited,....reflectingphysio
chemicalbondingoraccurateantibodytoantigenfit...antibodyaffinitydoesnotnecessarilyhave
tocorrelatewiththeantibodyconcentration.
Vaccinesagainstviralantigens

Virusinfectionsindicateamarkedtendencytowardsmineralizationanddecompositionprocesses.
Theorganismisforcedtoproduceandreplicatetheforeignvirussubstanceuntilitrecovers.Healing
willonlybeginifinflammatoryreactionsarepossible.ZurLindenthereforepostulatedthatviruses
relatedtothedestructivepoleintheorganism,i.e.thenervoussystem.Thetrendisevidentin
breakdownofthemucosawithaphthousstomatitis,forinstance,orchickenpox.Tcellsperishin
vitroaftermeaslesinfection,resultinginaformofimmunosuppressionaboutwhichlittleisknown.
Cellularimmunity,e.g.thetuberculinreaction,isreducedduringmeaslesinfections.

Theinflammatorychangesseenwithvirusinfectionsrepresentthesecond,reconstructivehealing
phase.Measlesexanthemactuallyindicatesthat(artificial)immunityisbeginningtodevelop.The
exanthemasubitumofinfants,whichonlydevelopswhentheprocesshasfinished,isatypical
instance.

Becauseofthemineralizingtendency,itiseasytoseewhycomplicationsseenwithimmunization
againstvirusdiseasessuchasmeasles,mumpsandrubellaaffectthenervoussystem.Degeller
ascribedthistotheeffectmineralsubstanceshaveontheEgo.Thefactthatpregnantwomenhave
goodimmunityagainstvirusinfectionsisalsoexplainedbyincreasedcatabolicactivity.Comparedto
bacterialinfectionssuchastuberculosisorpertussis,wherethistypeofimmunityispoor,the
cellularcomponentofimmunityislessimportant.

Remarkablylittleisknownabouttheroleofthehost.Anumberofmeaslesvirussubtypesare
known,butnoconclusionscanbedrawnfromthis.Thepoliovaccinevirusclearlychanges
considerablyinitspassagethroughthegastrointestinaltract.Forcombinedimmunizationagainst
types1,2and3,partsoftype2areincorporatedinattenuatedtype3virus.Numerousother
dramaticmutationsdevelopduringtheweeksfollowingvaccination.Eliminationofthevaccinevirus
takeslongerthanassumed.Inspiteofsomanyfactsbeingknown,manyquestionsremainopen
withreferencetotheoralpoliovaccine.

Vaccinesagainsttoxins

Greatercertaintyexistswithregardtovaccinationagainstbacterialtoxins.Vaccinationwithtoxoids
maybeseenasaddressingtheastralbodydirectly.Thisisabletoreactadequatelybyproducing
antitoxins.Digestioninthemetabolicsystemisnecessarybutrequiresrelativelylittleeffort.
Immunostimulationisatahighlevel,andtolerancerelativelygood.

Withimmunitylimitedtotoxinactivity,transmissionofthebacteriaispossibledespiteprotection
againstdevelopingdiphtheria.Tetanusshowsrelativelylittlemetabolicactivity,atleastcomparedto
diphtheria,whichmay,amongotherthings,leadtoenlargementoflymphnodes.Thisexplainswhy
immunizationagainsttetanusispossibleattheintrauterinestagebutimmunizationagainst
diphtheria,whichismoremetabolicbynature,onlyatabout3months.
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Vaccinationanddisease

Theaimofimmunizationistodevelopantibodies.Manyphysiciansconsidervaccinationtobean
attenuatedformofthediseasewhichhasapositiveeffectonthechild'sdevelopingimmunestatus.
EarlyvaccinationsdonebytheancientChineseorJennerwereintendedtoavoidseriousillnessby
givingamildone.Thecurrentviewisthatapartfromantibodyproduction,vaccinationanddisease
havelittleincommon.
ThislimitationtoantibodyinductionwasBehring'saimmorethan100yearsago.Hewasonly
interestedintheantitoxiceffects.Initiallyhetriedtotreatsepsiswithiodoform,"likepreservinga
hamagainstputrefactionbysmokingit,"andcametothefollowingconclusion:"Letusassumethe
morbificeffectofvirulentpusdependsonthepresencenotonlyofpusbacteriabutalsooftheir
chemicalproductsletusalsoassumethatthosechemicalproductsareinfluencedbyiodoform,
ratherlikecadaverin.Thisexplainswhyiodoformcanhaveamedicinaleffectinvirulentdisease
withoutcausingappreciabledirectdamagetothemicroorganisms."Hesuspectedthat"lawscanbe
demonstratedaccordingtowhicharelationshipexistsbetweenananimal'simmunitytoabacterial
diseaseandtheantibacterialactivityofitsserum."In1899hewrote:"Nothingintheworldis
influencedbytetanusantitoxin,excepttetanustoxin."

In1901,hestartedhisattempts,togetherwithKatashima,toimmunizemonkeyswithdiphtheria
toxin,"transferringgenuinediphtheriabacilli,thevirulenceofwhichhasbeenattenuated,tothe
humanthroatorgansforthepurposeofautoimmunization."Hefeltthebodyhadtobeforcedto
produceaspeciesspecificantitoxin"that,unlikeaforeignantitoxin,remainsinthebloodforalong
timeandthereforeconfersprotectionagainstdiphtheriaforayearandaday.

Vaccinationanddiseasearealmostcompletelydissociatedtoday.Febrilereactionstovaccinationare
rareinhealthysubjects.Thismeansthatvaccinationhasessentiallybecomeaprocesstowhich
thereisnoinflammatoryreaction,aprocessofcoldness.Thespecificimmunizationprocess,
vaccinationandthegeneralreaction,arespiratorytractinfection,mayactuallyrunsidebyside.
Milddiseaseisnotconsideredacontraindicationforvaccination.Dennehyetal.foundthat
seroconversionagainstmeasles,mumpsandrubellawasthesameinchildrenwithandwithout
respiratorytractinfection.LikePeter,theyconcludedthatrespiratorytractinfectionisnota
contraindication.Longtermsideeffectswerenotinvestigated.

Itis,infact,contraindicatedtoinducediseasebyvaccination.Withthisinmind,manyphysicians
giveprophylacticantipyreticswhendoingavaccination,evenifthereisnomedicalreasonforthis.
Suppressionofsymptomsisthegeneralprinciplewithvaccinationanddisease,mthecaseof
vaccinationtheyareusuallyreferredtoas"reactions"ratherthan"complications."Thedistinction
dependsonwhetheritisfeltthatsideeffectsshouldbepresentedasseriousormadetolook
harmless.

Quastetal.sreferenceto"vaccinationdisease"isinconsistent.Theviruscountdoesincreasewith
"vaccinationmeasles,"butthesymptomsarenotthoseofthewilddisease.Aboveallthe
characteristicpsychicchangesdonotdevelop.BCGvaccinationwillresultinenlargementofregional
lymphnodesortuberculousskinabscesses.Theprocessshiftstotheskin.Withtuberculosisittakes
placeintheinternalorganism("hysteriatakingplacedirectlyintheetherbody").

Timeformofdiseases

Adiseaseisaprocessintime.Weckenmanninvestigatedtonsillitisandmyocardialinfarctionand
foundalternationbetweengeneralandlocalsymptomsfollowingdefinitelaws.Thiswasespecially
apparentwithchildhooddiseases,butalsonephritis,pneumoniaandmyocardialinfarction.Girke
foundthisalsoappliedtoscleroticsymptoms.Scleroticsubstanceisproducedduringthelocal
phases.Adiseasegoesthroughnumerousrhythmicintermediaryprocessesbeforerecoveryis
achieved.Therecoveryprocessmayonoccasionbepainfulbutisanecessarypart."Silent"measles
immunizationisalsoaprocess.Here,itisopentotheindividualtogainimmunitywithorwithout
manifestdisease.Thedifferentincubationperiodsofmanyinfectiousdiseasessuggestthatsome
roomexistsforindividualvariation.Evolutionis,infact,alwaysindividual,evenwiththesame
disease.Vaccinationdoesnottakethiscourseintime.Itmaygoagainstthenormaltimeschedule
andpreventthediseaseinthecaseofrabiesormeasles.Thebuildingupandbreakingdown
processesnormallyseenwiththediseasedonotdevelop/andparticularlyalsotheprocessof
ultimaterecovery.Insteadoftheorganismbeingrestructuredoncetheinfectionisovercome,there
isonlythedevelopmentofimmunememory,withnohealingprocess.

Vaccinationcomesfromoutside,withtheorganismexposedtoit.Behringactuallyspokeof"forcing"
theorganism.Vaccinationisnotintendedtobeindividualbutpredictable,planned,uniform.An
individualprocessalsobecomesimpossiblewithregardtoonset.Withcontagiousdiseasessuchas
measlesorchickenpox,somechildrenwillnotcontractthediseaseoncontactbutonlyatalater
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dateornever.Theyhavetheirownspecialplaceinthebiography,asdoespneumonia.Vaccination
makessuchindividualevolutionimpossible.Thesituationbecomesevenmoreseriouswhenbooster
shotsaregiven(v.i.).EntryportintotheorganismThenormalportofentryintotheorganism,
suchasthemucosaorlymphaticsystemofthegastrointestinaltract,isnotusedasarule.Behring
stillwentinthatdirectioninhisattemptsto"vaccinate"thetonsilswithdiphtheriabacilli.
Vaccinationbyinjectionorscarificationcircumventsthedigestiveprocess,creatingaminorwound
andenforcing"parenteraldigestion,"withoutaddressingthelymphaticsystemdirectly.Fromthe
anthroposophicpointofviewwemustaskwhetherinjectionsofanykinddonotharmthe"rhythmic
system,"unlessthemedicamentisspeciallyprepared.Byitsverynaturesuchamedicamentisnot
designedfordigestiveprocesses.Theorganismismainlyprotectedagainstforeignmatter,
"poisoning"byforeignfoods,inthegastrointestinaltract,withalimitsettodestructivedigestive
processes.

Intheprocessofdigestion,foodandorganismenterintoacloserelationshipbetweeninnerand
outer.Weckenmannreferredtothisasagestureofsympathy.Atthesametimeapauseiscreated
fortheorganism,akindofbufferzonebetweeninnerandouter,beforethefoodsubstancesreach
theinnerorganismbythelymphaticroute.Asaresult,contactbetweenforeignmatterthatisnot
yetfullydegradedandthelymphorbloodwhichiswhollyone'sowncanbedelayedalittle.Itis
differentwithvaccination.Heretheforeignsubstance,generallygivenbytheparenteralroute,
demandsinstantreaction,whichputsitclosetoaforcedreflex.
Weckenmannstatesthatdigestionoutsidetheintestinaltractoccursonlyunderpathological
conditions,aswithinflammation.Thus,"parenteraldigestion"demandssacrificesfromtheorganism
thattaketheformofabscesses.Anyinjectioncallsfor"parenteraldigestion."Thenegativeeffectan
injectionhasontheorganismisnotpurelyacademic.Strebeletal.foundthatin87%ofcasesof
paralyticvaccinationpolioinRumaniaoneorseveralintramuscularinjectionshadbeengivenduring
the30daysprecedingonsetofparalysis.

Problemofelimination

Typicalchildhooddiseaseshaveaccompanyingeliminatoryprocesses.Thismaytaketheformof
exanthem,diarrheaorvomiting,withtheincidenceremarkablyhigh,asshowninaretrospective
studybytheauthor.Thiscorrectsthevariableimbalancesbetweentheupperandlowerhuman
beingasthediseaseevolves.Exanthemamaybeseenasperipheral"digestion,"andequatedwith
healing.Vaccinationdoesnotofferthispotential,apartfromsocalledsideeffects.Thismayresult
inprematurescleroticchanges.

Withsuppressionofsymptoms,immunizationshavebecomememoryandneurosensoryprocesses.
ReadingBehring'swritingswerealizethatmetabolicactivityistobeasfaraspossibleexcluded.
Thishastwoconsequences.First,thereisnopossibilityforcreatingacounterbalancetothis
neurosensoryactivityinthemetabolicsphere.Secondly,thissenserelatedfunctionisinthesphere
ofmetabolism.Theonlykindofcounterprocessthemetabolismcanfindisametabolicreactionin
thesphereofthenervesandsenses.Therelationshipbetweentheupperandthelowerhumanbeing
isthusputunderastrain.

Immunizationsthereforeincreaseatendencytohighersensitivityinthenervoussystem,as
describedbyWolff.Withastrainputonthememoryandsensoryfunctionsoftheorganism,itis
easytoseewhysideeffectsfrequentlyinvolvethenervesorthesenses,e.g.asencephalophathy
withpertussisordiphtheriaimmunizationormeningiticchangeswithmeaslesimmunization.The
memoryfunctionsofthemetabolicsystemarechallengedbyforeignsubstances.Atthesametime
theactualmetabolicprocesses,manufactureofthevaccine,takeplaceoutsidetheorganism.
Steinerreferredtotheeffectofexcessivedemandsmadeontheorganismthroughexternal
processesinthelowerhumanbeingashysteria.

Immunizationandmemory
Achildisacreatureofthesensespowersofgrowthwiththeirsympathydominatethepicture.
Sensoryprocesses,tastingprocessesareactiveallthewaytothebodyperiphery.Inthefirst7
yearsoflifethephysicalfoundationfortheindividualityiscreated.Innootherperiodoflifeisthe
tensionbetween"inner"and"outer"asgreatasinchildhoodwhenbodysubstanceiscreatedand
infectiousaspectsoftheenvironmenthavetobeovercome.

Duringitsfirst7yearsachildshouldonlyreceiveeasilydigestiblequantitiesofnewimpressions.
Weknowthatinfantsmayreactwithcolictomother'smilkandwithshynesstostrangers.Mothers'
milkistheleastforeignsubstance.Itsconstituents,e.g.iron,areeasilytakenup.Havinghigh
physicalsurfaceactivityandahighconcentrationofimmunoglobulinsitprotectsthechild'ssensitive
organism.

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Memoryisonlypossibleifthereisconsciousawareness.Thisrequirespowersofantipathytothe
environmentwhichinfantsandyoungchildrendonothave.Acoldpersistsforalongtimeininfants.
Virusinfectionsdonotcausegeneralfebrilereactionsfollowedbyrapidrecovery.Immunizationis
onlygoodfrombirth,andeveninutero,inthecaseoftoxoids.Beforemassmeaslesimmunization
wassowidespread,immunityconferredbythemotherswassogoodthatmeaslesimmunizationsdid
notprovesuccessfulbeforethe15thmonth.ForafulldiscussionseeJohnsonetal.,thoughthey,
too,reportedonly74%or53%successrateswithearlyvaccinationin1994,dependingonthe
methodofinvestigation.

Achild'searlyabilitytorememberissituationbound.Itwillenterafreshintothesamesituationfull
ofsympathy,perhapstakingthesamerouteagaininmemory.Isolatedfactsarenotremembered,
andnonoteistakenofthem.Onlyprocessesareremembered.Vaccinationisnotaprocessbuta
singleevent,withonlytheantipatheticaspectexperienced.Theabsenceofaprocessmaybeone
reasonwhytheimmunityconferredbyvaccinationislimitedintime,comparedtothatgivenbythe
wilddisease(e.g.measles)whichislifelong.

Boostershotsconferthedesiredlongtermimmunity.This,however,isenforcedmemoryand
unphysiologicalinyoungchildren.Youngchildren,especiallyifunder3yearsofage,experience
everysituationassomethingnew,eveniftheyhaveknownitbefore.Thisistheagewhenforgetting
is"practiced."Regularhabitshaveaneducativeeffectonthechild.Isolatedevents,ontheother
hand,especiallyifenforced,withnoopportunitytotakethemupinplay,canproveharmful.

Immunizations,thus,representonesidedemphasisonmemoryand"head"processes.Therhythmic
functionsthatfacilitatedigestionareimpededifnotmadeimpossible.

Immunizationandimmunesystem
Littlereliableinformationisavailableontheeffectonimmunestatus,thoughithasbeensaidthat
"postvaccinalimmuneweakness"afterMMRimmunizationispossible,atleastintheory.Acellular
pertussisimmunization,currentlyintroducedwithconsiderablepublicity,alsoraisesmanyquestions.

ImmunizationessentiallyaddressesthespecializedTcellfunctionsoftheimmunesystem,andthe
antigenspecificBcellresponse.Theresponsetopolysaccharideantigensbeginsinthe2ndor3rd
yearandisonlyfullydevelopedinthe9thyear.Fromtheanthroposophicpointofview,thisisthe
timewhenthe"Ego"beginstointerveneinmetabolism.Childrenarethenabletorelatefullytotheir
environmentbothphysicallyandpsychologically.

Littleisknownaboutimmunizationeffectsonnonspecificimmunemechanisms.Thesearehighly
similartodigestiveprocesses,e.g.complementreceptorsbindingvirusesorbacteria,opsonization
ofthesecomplexesinmacrophagesandtheireliminationinthereticuloendothelialsystemofspleen
andliver.Inductionofspecialantibodydevelopmentmayresultinnonspecificimmuneresponses
beingneglected.Thismayapplyespeciallyifvaccinationisgiveninspiteofrespiratorytract
infection.Itenhancesthedissociationbetweenspecificandnonspecificimmuneprocesses.Thereare
childrenwithpoorresistancetoinfection,forinstance,whohavehadalargenumberof
immunizations.ThisremindsofpeoplewithallergieswhohaveextremelyhighIgElevels.

Wakingandsleeping,allergyandimmunization

Thelevelofconsciousnessintheupperhumanbeingisreducedduringillness.Peoplearefebrile,
experiencemalaiseandfeellessbright.Ontheotherhand,theyareawakeandactivein
metabolism.Thephaseofquiescencewhichfollowsisnecessarytorestorefullperformance
capacity.Inthecaseofvaccination,thesensesandnervoussystemareawake,perhapseven
excessivelysoduetothepainoftheinjection.Justasgoingtosleepcanbedifficultafteronesided
intellectualwork,socanthe"goingtosleepprocesses"aftervaccinationpresentproblemsbecause
thecalmingmetaboliccomponentislargelyabsent.

Nothingappearstobeknownconcerningexcessivestrainontheimmunesystem.Weknow,
however,fromeverydaylifethatitneedssomedegreeofhealthtocopewithbothphysicaland
nervestress.Followingvaccination,aforeignsubstancehastobe"digested."Thereisariskthatthe
astralbodyisputunderstrainbythisandwithdraws,becominglessmobile.Asaresultthe
metabolismisnotabletodigestcertainproductsproperly.ThisleadstoconditionswhichSteiner
referredtoaschildhoodhysteria,withtheupperaspectsofthehumanbeinginvolvedoutsidethe
organismtheorganismisinjuredbyforeignprocesses.

Unlikedigestion,vaccinationentailssuddencontactwithforeignmatter.Indigestion,foodisbroken
downandassimilatedinnumerousstages.Theforeignmatter,intestinalmucosaandfloraarein
closecontact.Thisinvolvesbothsympatheticandantipatheticelements.Sympatheticaspects
predominateintheabsorptionstage.Antipathyonlygainstheupperhandintheregionofthelarge

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intestine.Thechildisactivelyinvolvedintheprocessofdigestion.Thesamecanbesaidof
childhoodplay,whenthedoingismoreimportantthantheoutcome.Withvaccination,theorganism
isnotaskedto"digest,"andtheassimilationprocessoccursoutsidetheorganismintheformof
attenuation,productionoftoxoids,etc.

Weckenmannseesimmunityasaprocessandnotastablestate.Adiseaseprocessalternates
betweenlocalandgeneralsymptoms.Someonewhoisimmune,hesays,doesnotcontinueinthe
immunestatebutisparticularlyresponsive.Inhisview,thethirdstepindiseaseisthat"itisaform
offurtherdevelopmentifithelpstheindividualtodevelop'immunity'orencountersanimmune
individual."Foracure,therightlevelofreactionhastobefound,andforthisWeckenmannsuggests
theterm"euergy"ratherthanimmunity.Acurethusrepresentsrestorationofthenormalconditions
underwhichtheorganismisabletodigest,withlossesminimized(economically).
Peopleliabletodevelopallergiesclearlyhaveageneraldigestiveweakness.Thisisknownfromthe
factthatcow'smilkproteinstakenasfoodbythemotherremainessentiallyunchanged,passing
throughnumerousbarriers,andcanbedemonstratedinthechild'sblood.Itshouldalsobe
rememberedthatthenonspecificimmunesystemismainlyassociatedwiththeintestinaltract.An
allergicsubjectthushasthedoublehandicapofprimarydigestiveweaknessandprimarynonspecific
immunedeficiency.

Anotheraspectisthetimeoffirstcontact.Earlycontactincreasestheriskofallergization.Thusitis
possibleforindividualstobeallergictopollengrainsthatwereseasonalatthetimeoftheirbirth.
Thisrevealstheimportanceofsettinglimits.Withvaccinationsgiventoveryyounginfantsitis
possiblethatthegoodtoleranceshownismerelyapparent,andthatvaccinationonlyhadminorside
effectsbecausereactivityhadnotyetdeveloped.Noconnectionhassofarbeenestablished,
however,betweenvaccinationandsubsequentimmunecapacities.

ProblemsoftenarisewiththethirdDPTimmunization.Boostershotsintentionallyinterruptthe
normalforgettingprocess.Theindividualisforcedtodealwiththeforeignsubstanceandunableto
avoidit.Itisthereforenotonlythesecondvaccinationwhichpresentsproblemsbutalso
revaccinationusingthesameantigen.
Animportantaspectiswhoisincontrolofforgettingandremembering.Reducedantibodylevels
afterimmunizationindicatethattheorganismtendstoforgettheimmunization.Booster
immunizationsmakethisimpossible.Withthedisease,theEgoisinvolvedinmaintainingimmunity
forlife.Withimmunizationthishastohappenfromoutside.Thiscouldbeafurtherexplanationof
theallergypotential,ofbeingunabletoforget,duetoimmunization.

Eventheminorshocksinfantsshowinreactiontoinjectionshavesignificance.Thepainofan
injectiondrivestheEgoandtheastralbodyoutoftherestofthebody.Thisisallthemoresoonce
childrenareolderwhenrevaccinatedandexperiencetheeventmorestrongly.Physiologicmemory
processesinchildhoodtakeaverydifferentcourse(v.s.).

Manyoftheprocessesinvolvedinvaccinationthereforecorrespondtothoseseenwithallergies.An
allergicindividualdoesnotforgetbutiswoundedalloveragainoncontactwiththeallergen,
retainingthepathologicalmemory.Renewedcontactdoesnotresultinabetter,butinaworse,
reaction.Theallergiccompulsionofhavingtoreactagainandagaintoaforeignsubstanceisapplied
onpurposewithboostershots.TheEgoiscoercedfromoutside.Thiswillaboveallmakeprocesses
ofrestimpossible,whichthehumanbeingchoosesinsleepingandwaking,forinstance.Boostering
enforceswakefulnessintheimmunesystem.
Theallergicphenomenahavetobeseenasanattemptatelimination,e.g.thepowerfulsecretionof
mucusinallergicconjunctivitis,rhinitisorbronchitis.Aggravationofallergicsymptomsafter
vaccinationmaybeseenasanattemptonthepartoftheorganismtoforgetthevaccinationinorder
tohealitself.

Standardworksonpediatricimmunologydorefertotheproblemsthatarisewithimmunizationof
allergicsubjectsbutsaylittleabouttheallergypotentialofimmunization.Stueck,too,merely
mentionsshorttermaggravationofneurodermatitiswithMMRimmunization.Quastetal.do,
however,admit:"Ithasbeenstatedthatskindiseasesmaybeexacerbatedbyimmunization.An
effectonendogenouseczema(oftenpositive,occasionallynegative)duetomeaslesimmunizationis
certainlypossible...."Bauerstatesthatnoworkhasbeendonetofindananswertothisquestion.In
theauthor'sexperience,onsetofneurodermatitiswasfrequentlyprecededbyimmunization.

Quastetal.listanumberoflocalandgeneralreactionsthatareclearlyallergicbynature(pp.162
194).Theirassumptionis,thoughthereisnothingasyettoproveit:"Reactionsofthiskind,
representingallergytovaccineconstituents,are,however,extremelyrare..."(p.176).Ontheother
hand,theyaccept"generalintoleranceofhen'seggs,thoughanaphylacticandotherallergic

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6/30/2016 AnthroposophicMedicine|'ChildhoodImmunizationProgramsQuestionsfromtheAnthroposophicPointofView,Part1'byKarlReinhardKummer

symptomshavenotbeenclinicallyconfirmed."

Peteracceptsonlyextremelyseverehypersensitivereactionsasacontraindicationtorevaccination.
NowadaysMMRimmunizationisactuallyrecommendedforchildrenallergictoeggwhite.Reinhardt
says:
"Thereisnothingtoindicatethattheusualimmunizationspavethewayforfoodorinhalation
allergies.Thisappliesbothtothenormalpopulationandtoindividualswithahighriskofdeveloping
anallergy(positivefamilyhistoryandraisedumbilicalcordIgE)."

AccordingtoReinhardt,allergicreactionstovaccinesmaybeduetoauxiliaryagents,butwith
today'shighlypurifiedvaccinessuchreactionsareextremelyrare.Again,noempiricaldataare
giventosupportthesestatements.

Immunizationaprocessrelatingtooldage
Childhooddiseaseshavetodowiththeheadpolecomingtotermswithmetabolism.Inmost
instances,metabolicprocessesgoupintothesphereofthenervoussystem.Thesediseasesare
acuteandfebrile.Warmthprocessesandanabolismpredominate,especiallyinmorbidity.Ifthere
werenoexcessoffebrileandanabolicprocesses,degenerativeprocesseswoulddevelop.Itisonly
inolderchildrenthatthemiddle,rhythmicfunctionestablishesabalance.

Laterinlife,growthandregenerationbecomelessactive.Catabolicprocessespredominate.Sensory
functionsarealsodifferentinoldpeople.Reticencetakestheplaceofsympatheticreaction.With
immunization,thisis,infact,desirable:recognitionoftheantigenwithminimalsystemicreaction
andmaximumefficiencyinantibodyproduction.Yetthisprocess,whichbelongstoamoreadvanced
age,isgenerallyappliedinchildhoodandyouth.Theantipatheticreactionpatternofimmunizations
mayresultinprematureagingandcatabolicprocesses.

Vaccineproductioninvolvesdeathprocesses.ZurLindendrewattentiontothisin1962.Poliovaccine
iscultivatedonmonkeykidneys,chickembryosorhumandiploidcellstakenoutoftheirvital
context.Toavoiddirecttoxicreactionssubstanceshavetobeaddedtoattenuateandinactivatethe
pathogen.Otherpotentiallyharmfuladditivesaredisinfectants,solvents,emulsifiers,etc.These
mayalsocausesideeffects.
Cellculturesusedtogrowthepathogenareartificiallykeptaliveitisworthnotingthattheyare
largelyculturesbasedontumorcells,i.e.apathologicallifeprocessiscultivatedforthesakeofthe
vaccineandnottoservethehumanorganism.Wethushaveareversalofgoals,foritisnotthe
humanbeingwhoisvitalizedintheprocessbutthevaccine.

KarlReinhardKummer,M.D.

Jaegerstr.19
D076227Karlsruhe

Germany

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