Remember the Bifurcated Needle?

[Dibbons]

My Godfather was a general practitioner (M.D.) back in the '60's when I was growing up so he also served as our family physician. I still remember the day he poked my arm many times over with a needle wet with a drop of small pox serum. Of course, an ugly scab formed the next day along with a permanent scar. Now I don't remember which arm it was administered to. I believe some girls opted to have the vaccination applied to the thigh so as not to scar up their pretty arms.

Why bring this up today? Well, the teen kid that does a little exterior house painting several days a week for me asked if I had the scar from the application. I had not thought about it (or looked for it) for a long, long time.

I guess the technique in this case could be compared to what results after receiving a more artful tattoo.

photo from Wiki:

 

[33 IMP]

Yep, still got one, upper right arm, but not nearly as prominent as it once was. I had what looked like a circular stretch mark, more than a half inch in diameter.

 

[Sahara]

Wow, I never knew that even though that’s probably what they used on me.
Wife works in the business sticking people, although from a younger generation she had never seen one before.

 

[Budnicks]

got mine too, it was like 2nd grade 6-7 y/o 1966-ish
everyone in school had to get them

Yep, still got one, upper right arm, but not nearly as prominent as it once was. I had what looked like a circular stretch mark, more than a half inch in diameter.

 

[Mark Barnes]

I got one of those scars too, but I (thankfully) don't remember THAT needle. I would have **** my pants on the spot.

 

[64BEL]

We simply called that mark our vaccination. I'm not sure how visible mine is these days.

 

[WileE]

A WHAT needle ? Bi... what ? Is that some kind of needle that don't mind what hole it makes ?

 

[mopar 3 B]

Left arm but don't know why the change. That one did not bother me near as much is the basic training hydro powered gun that cut a four inch gash into the arm of the guy in front of me. When they said don't even flinch that was exactly what they meant. Thought he was going to bleed out. They got pretty excited also.

 

[polywideblock]

when did they stop ? never had one

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Yup... They don't actually shove it fully into your arm, they only pierce the skin about the depth of the slot... but they would poke you with if a fifteen times so you wind up with thirty little holes in a circular pattern...

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Left arm but don't know why the change. That one did not bother me near as much is the basic training hydro powered gun that cut a four inch gash into the arm of the guy in front of me. When they said don't even flinch that was exactly what they meant. Thought he was going to bleed out. They got pretty excited also.

Yup, don't move means don't move....

 

[eldubb440]

I think we called them booster shots.....I remember getting mine, scary **** for a little kid

 

[Dibbons]

when did they stop ?

Small Pox is the first and perhaps the only illness that has been successfully banished from the face of the earth. Nonetheless, vaccine supplies are still stored and tested for potency just in case.

 

[Brandy]

Left arm, and again on the way to Iraq...damn it. lol. Itched like crazy...

 

[Brandy]

when did they stop ? never had one

1958-1977.

 

[Brandy]

My Godfather was a general practitioner (M.D.) back in the '60's when I was growing up so he also served as our family physician. I still remember the day he poked my arm many times over with a needle wet with a drop of small pox serum. Of course, an ugly scab formed the next day along with a permanent scar. Now I don't remember which arm it was administered to. I believe some girls opted to have the vaccination applied to the thigh so as not to scar up their pretty arms.

Why bring this up today? Well, the teen kid that does a little exterior house painting several days a week for me asked if I had the scar from the application. I had not thought about it (or looked for it) for a long, long time.

photo from Wiki:

View attachment 1072924

That needle is now in the kit you get for plugging your own tires. The strip of plug material goes in the slot...lol.

 

[64BEL]

That needle is now in the kit you get for plugging your own tires. The strip of plug material goes in the slot...lol.

View attachment 1073255

 

[khryslerkid]

Didn't they switch to a gun looking apparatus?

Mine's real faint and I think it might have been the gun.

The "Peace Gun" might have been first before the Bifurcation needle.

https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_1411247

 

[64fury74charger]

I remember years ago talking about the “vaccination “ and everybody would be comparing our arms to see who’s scare looks either gross or is the biggest size lol...Anyone knew that you had gotten the vaccine because your permanently marked. No shot record, no problem....

 

[Takoctopus]

Left arm, and again on the way to Iraq...damn it. lol. Itched like crazy...

Small pox and anthrax shots, living the dream in the gulf.