# The benefits of having measles **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 6, 2015, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benefits-of-having-measles/711940 "2015-02-06T03:56:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benefits-of-having-measles/711940/1 "2015-02-06T03:56:57Z")
I pit Stephanie Messenger, the author of the children’s book “[Melanie’s Marvelous Measles](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1466938897?tag=kinja-20&ascsubtag=%5Bb%7Cobservationdeck%5Bp%7C1659129577%5Ba%7C1466938897%5Bau%7C5724589697837272386)”, a book which teaches children that having measles is wonderful. “history shows that in industrialized countries, these diseases are quite benign and, according to natural health sources, beneficial to the body”. > [@](#): > > Having raised three children vaccine-free and childhood disease-free, I have experienced many times when my children’s vaccinated peers succumb to the childhood diseases they were vaccinated against. Surprisingly, there were times when my unvaccinated children were blamed for their peers’ sickness. Something which is just not possible when they didn’t have the diseases at all. Stephanie Messenger lives in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, and devotes her life to educating people about vaccine dangers and supporting families in their natural health choices. She has the support of many natural therapists and natural-minded doctors.” Moron. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benefits-of-having-measles/711940/2 "2015-02-06T04:12:16Z")
I love the first five star review of that book: > [@Michael J. Gogulski](#): > > If you enjoyed this book, check out these other fine titles from the same author: > > Abby’s Absolutely Abundant Abscess > Addie’s Adorable Adenoma > Adelia’s Addled Alzheimer’s > Andys Amazing AIDS > Anne’s Incandescent Anorexia > Annette’s Astonishing Aneurysm > Annie’s Awesome Asthma > Arnie’s Artful Addiction > Barack’s Baroque Barbiturate Overdose > Barry’s Bitchin Beri Beri > Beatrice’s Bawdy Bronchitis > Bella’s Beloved Bell’s Palsy > Bennett’s Breathtaking Boil > Bertha’s Blossoming Bulimia > Billy’s Bodacious Botulism > Bobby’s Bitchin Bubonic Plague I had to snip it for brevity because he goes through the whole alphabet, even including “Vivian’s Voluminous Vaginitis”. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benefits-of-having-measles/711940/3 "2015-02-06T04:13:32Z")
Deafness. That’s a pretty fun one. I hope Melanie likes losing her hearing. “Hey Melanie! Wasn’t having measles fun!!! I SAID HEY MELANIE!!! HEY!!!” ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benefits-of-having-measles/711940/4 "2015-02-06T04:19:57Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > I pit Stephanie Messenger, the author of the children’s book “[Melanie’s Marvelous Measles](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1466938897?tag=kinja-20&ascsubtag=%5Bb%7Cobservationdeck%5Bp%7C1659129577%5Ba%7C1466938897%5Bau%7C5724589697837272386)”, a book which teaches children that having measles is wonderful. “history shows that in industrialized countries, these diseases are quite benign and, according to natural health sources, beneficial to the body”. > > Moron. You are Too Kind. Fucking Ignorant Moron. Or a Poe We Don’t Need. Hard to tell. > [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Deafness. > > That’s a pretty fun one. I hope Melanie likes losing her hearing. > > “Hey Melanie! Wasn’t having measles fun!!! I SAID HEY MELANIE!!! HEY!!!” You’re wasting your time. Melanie isn’t deaf, she’s very dead. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benefits-of-having-measles/711940/5 "2015-02-06T06:02:29Z")
Doranie’s Delightful Death. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benefits-of-having-measles/711940/6 "2015-02-06T07:22:23Z")
You get to stay home from school and play for a week! What’s to complain about? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benefits-of-having-measles/711940/7 "2015-02-06T07:23:09Z")
Gary’s Glorious Gonorrhea ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benefits-of-having-measles/711940/8 "2015-02-06T07:29:33Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > You get to stay home from school and play for a week! What’s to complain about? Fever takes half the fun out of it and itching takes the rest. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benefits-of-having-measles/711940/9 "2015-02-06T07:31:19Z")
But it was fun to run around chasing your sister and threatening to hug her. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benefits-of-having-measles/711940/10 "2015-02-06T11:25:40Z")
I guess the main advantage to having measles is that you can’t get measles again, which is a good thing, because measles is pretty horrible. If you haven’t seen it, here’s Roald Dahl’s brief letter about his daughter, Olivia, and the measles. [https://roalddahl.com/roald-dahl/timeline/1960s/november-1962](https://roalddahl.com/roald-dahl/timeline/1960s/november-1962) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benefits-of-having-measles/711940/11 "2015-02-06T13:02:27Z")
Stephanie Messenger, in addition to writing that marvellous book, was also involved in promoting/organizing [the ill-fated Australian tour](http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/jan/19/anti-vaccination-seminar-venues-all-pull-out-but-tour-will-go-ahead) of of antivax osteopath Sherri Tenpenny. The planned tour [collapsed](http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/jan/29/anti-vaccination-campaigner-sherri-tenpenny-cancels-australian-tour) after venues that were supposed to host the event canceled (it’s been reported that they were told that events were about “child health” or involved a SIDS charity rather than antivax activities), and Messenger claimed there were threats against the safety of attendees from those who were “anti-free speech”. It turns out there was a bomb threat, but it was revealed to be from an antivax loon who was upset about potential cancellation of one of Tenpenny’s appearances. Apparently lying and deception are A-OK, if it’s for the antivax cause. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benefits-of-having-measles/711940/12 "2015-02-06T15:47:57Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > I guess the main advantage to having measles is that you can’t get measles again, which is a good thing, because measles is pretty horrible. Unless you’re my brother’s exceptionally unfortunate school friend, who had it 4 times before leaving school, presumably due to a glitchy immune system. He had been vaccinated as well… Luckily he didn’t wind up with any severe side effects. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benefits-of-having-measles/711940/13 "2015-02-06T18:35:59Z")
> [@Filbert](#): > > Unless you’re my brother’s exceptionally unfortunate school friend, who had it 4 times before leaving school, presumably due to a glitchy immune system. He had been vaccinated as well… Luckily he didn’t wind up with any severe side effects. It can happen, which is one of the reasons these antisocial psychopaths are so dangerous. A relative contracted chicken pox twice, something his incredulous pediatrician insisted was totes unpossible. I have had chicken pox zero times, because they invented a vaccine for it. Nonetheless, I’m not happy about the fact that some deranged lunatic may expose me to the virus because of their stupidity. I’d rather not risk the slight possibility of contracting the disease as an adult. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benefits-of-having-measles/711940/14 "2015-02-06T19:26:16Z")
Stephanie’s Stupendous Stupidity Messenger’s Malodorous Madness ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benefits-of-having-measles/711940/15 "2015-02-06T20:24:28Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > I guess the main advantage to having measles is that you can’t get measles again, which is a good thing, because measles is pretty horrible. If you haven’t seen it, here’s Roald Dahl’s brief letter about his daughter, Olivia, and the measles. > > [https://roalddahl.com/roald-dahl/timeline/1960s/november-1962](https://roalddahl.com/roald-dahl/timeline/1960s/november-1962) What takes that book beyond idiocy into unbelievable meanness is that its title is a play on Dahl’s book _George’s Marvellous Medicine_. You know, that guy whose daughter died of measles. Hah hah, get it? ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benefits-of-having-measles/711940/16 "2015-02-06T20:29:35Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > What takes that book beyond idiocy into unbelievable meanness is that its title is a play on Dahl’s book _George’s Marvellous Medicine_. You know, that guy whose daughter died of measles. Hah hah, get it? Dahl already has a [perfectly good title](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twits) for a book about anti-vaxxers… ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benefits-of-having-measles/711940/17 "2015-02-06T20:56:47Z")
Other reviews: “This is an excellent book for children! It gets children used to the idea of being maimed for life or dying outright due to preventable diseases thanks to their parents not loving them enough to learn even the rudimentary aspects of basic science,” “While small, this book can serve as a tiny death mask.” “As a carpenter who specializes in itty bitty coffins I can’t say enough good things about this book” ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benefits-of-having-measles/711940/18 "2015-02-06T20:58:15Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > I guess the main advantage to having measles is that you can’t get measles again, which is a good thing, because measles is pretty horrible. If you haven’t seen it, here’s Roald Dahl’s brief letter about his daughter, Olivia, and the measles. > > [https://roalddahl.com/roald-dahl/timeline/1960s/november-1962](https://roalddahl.com/roald-dahl/timeline/1960s/november-1962) God damn it, I cried ☹ Is the measles vaccine really not required for schoolchildren in the UK? ---
**Author:** ![Norse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a9adbd/32.png) [@Norse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Norse)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benefits-of-having-measles/711940/19 "2015-02-06T21:07:25Z")
> [@Kinthalis](#): > > Is the measles vaccine really not required for schoolchildren in the UK? You DO know that Olivia Dahl died in 1962? And that the measles vaccine was invented in 1963 and was licensed in the UK in 1968, and that the MMR vaccine was licensed in 1988? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benefits-of-having-measles/711940/20 "2015-02-06T21:19:17Z")
> [@Norse](#): > > and that the MMR vaccine was licensed in 1988? Irrelevant to the (valid) point you’re making, I know, but this didn’t sound right, and upon checking Wikipedia, I see “The three vaccines (for mumps, measles, and rubella) were combined in 1971 to become the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-benefits-of-having-measles/711940.md?page=2)