American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-12-08
[ For the American Rep IbIicln.l
THE SMALL PON.


AS a reader of your Journal, and others of
ine city, have seen that our Getty Fathers
are in the midst of an enterprise important to
every citizen, aud especially interesting to the
1hilanthropic physiclan--we alude 20 the in
tended Small Pox Hospital about to be erected
on the South side Of the Patapsco-whore al
SO is to he established House of Refuge.
We hope we may escape the charge Of AFRO
,anco in offering a few observations on this sub
Get, Of which we have thought much, free
from affection or disatlecton, otherwise than
as a well wisher o. our city, and whatever re-
ltes to her prosperity, but especially as regards
no health of our people.
In the great and well regulated hospitals in
the German States, they have ceased to use
small poX hospitals, and icarlessly and benei-
tally admit small poX cases TO some part OF
their common 3pltals-ttcy have found that
ne best way to suppress this disease Is to meet
i boldly, in the use Of proper means No pa
tient Is admitted at any time without careful en-
animation Of the RACINE maik-if there be
doubt, vaccination is employed instanter, or as
soon Us tho case will admit of It. 1t s expect
ed that every patient present Il certificate of
vaccination. But it 4 separate Inirmary must
be adopted TO meet a superstition which would
induce protesting Christian to consiIn fell
.ow creature 10 almost certain death by remOv-
a. to pest mouse, from three to SIX or seven
miles distant, that he may be there consigned
20 q by-phcg and die pukuowu--the good gift
OF God ofa preventative to orr race &C. the con-
,rafv. uolwltrstUudug-all this that thG tlmjd
need no. be disturbed. Uac IN thousand al-
Ter proper vaccination viii not lie liable TO va
rIo,old, and occasional insertion Of good vac.
enc infection viii obyiate even this risk almost
entirely.
We admit that cases Occur whore pelpcrs
and strangers can only be provided for by hav-
.ng suitable inhrmary, and 50 far the in,tit
tiou may be charitable, but, with our expert
ence, we more than doubt whether by concern
trating the infection in pest house you do not
give duration and extension to the disease in
stead ot lcsscuiug it--an unseen eye, who does
not know 1t, will give to cruelty its reward in
frustrating supposed " Use schemes.
y method has been employed in this city,
some years ago, and found to succeed to admra-
lion, viz: neignborhood Observation-Disclosures
ever a case Of small poX occurred the immedi-
ate neighborhood was vaccnatcd, and, as soon
as the disease was fully ended, all bedding and
wearing apparel were destroyed by fire. On
one occasion there was several introductions Of
the disease-perhaps seven or eight-and i'll
no instance did the disease extend to any one,
and we believe one person in thousand did
not know the small pox was in our city. We
believe that vaccination will certainly secure
aIne hundred and nlnety-nine in the thousand
of those who are properly attended to by ply
sicians and parents-both are sometimes remiss
il this duty. 1t is greatly to be desired, that
public opinion shall require of every physician
certificate of full and perfect vaccination,
whereby he assumes responsibility that should
attach to his roputation-and this should as
sumo an exactitude that each physician should
feel most confidence in his own certificate. No
child should be admitted to q public or private
school who has not such certificate, when such
certificates or proper registry ofthem is made
serious matter of private and public duty, we
shall know less of small pox
If our people faithfully practice every posi-
BILE precauton 20 remove liability to small pox,
We shall find that wise Providence will here,
as in all other cases. reward US for the prac-
ticej of duties OF philanthropy-an then will
pest house, to say the least, be little needed
One word more and we are done--from our
oWnobservation we know, that the neiphborhood
about to be selected is very sickly, and small
pox patients need often remain at an infirmaiv
several weeks-what would become Of our lii.
tie bows in the House OF Refuge. | had rather
see them beating up0n the bottom Of q tin cup,
and enjoy the sport than consigned to a malari-
orS location ofboHom tqna. Again, since the once
use Of vaccination, small poX comes among us
n tyu, four, FIVE, or even tea years, ana even
low. by the time you make ample provision,
ny house, a steward, matron, physlca1, &c
nc small. loN may have disappeared, !! 1t dc
LOT, such "l!. soon be tho case, should pes
Rouse not serve, rs It cor'2nly viii most Vi al
iuGgs. % continue Tie Cls 'asg, I us Is case