DEATH OF AN ENGLISH SOLDIER FROM TYPHOID VACCINATION. A TYPICAL CASE
The Finchley Press, for November 13, 1914, contained the following particulars:
“Military Honours.
“FUNERAL OF A FINCHLEY DRILL-INSTRUCTOR YESTERDAY.
“Drill-Instructor Nichols, of 42, Sedgemere Avenue, who was well known in Finchley, has passed away at the age of fifty-one as the result of the after effects of inoculation. A big, strong, healthy-looking man, the news will come as a surprise to those who knew him.
“There was a large attendance at St. Marylebone Cemetery at the funeral yesterday (Thursday) afternoon, when Mr. Nichols was buried with military honours.”
A resident at East Finchley sent the following particulars to the Anti-Vaccination League of London:
“Mr. Nichols had been a Territorial for about eight years, and as a boy was intended for Sandhurst College, but circumstances prevented this. A keen soldier, and particularly clever at drilling recruits, he was being kept for Home Service. Understanding that inoculation was compulsory for the men, he underwent the operation as an example and encouragement.
Fig. 16. Sergeant H. Nichols, of East Finchley, England, died on November 4, 1914, from the effects of anti-typhoid inoculation.
“On Saturday, October 24, he was inoculated a second time on the left side of chest. He was taken ill at once and went home to bed, complaining of a dreadful beating on the top of his brain. On the Monday he reported himself ill and was given the half-day off with the others, but passed for duty for the Tuesday and Wednesday and sent on an eight-mile march. On the Thursday he woke up with severe trembling, later on partial paralysis set in with very severe delirium, kidney trouble, swollen tongue and many other distressing symptoms. Also his heart, which had always been passed as perfectly sound, was very bad. Two nurses and his own doctor (a believer in inoculation) attended him. On the day of his death, November 4, his pulse was 144.
“Sergeant Nichols was a very strong man, never ill, and looked more like forty than fifty years of age. His photograph indicates his ‘fitness.’ For some time before his death he did sergeant’s work and was known as full platoon sergeant, but the papers verifying this only came through, Mrs. Nichols understood, just about the time of his death, so that he is described as corporal on death certificate, but she says he had a sergeant’s funeral and is described as such on the gravestone.
“Mr. Nichols’ death was a great shock to his friends, some of whom saw him two weeks before death, when he was telling them how ‘very fit’ he was feeling, and how thoroughly his heart was in his work.”
The death certificate in this case gives the cause of death as:
1. “Anti-Typhoid Vaccination.” 2. “Pneumonia.”