American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-01-15
For the American Republican. I
SMALL POX.

hlCuC means against small poX, Is now rapidly
declining. The numerous cases of varood,
$modltied small pox,) prove most conclusive
ly, that it does not afford perfect immunity
from this most loathsome disease. Social in
tercourse and every department Of business
lmperatlvely requires, that this confidence
should be regaincd, if possible, by rendering
vaccination more certain preventive against it.
Its prevalence in family completely inter
rupts all social communication between it and
nelghborng families; isolating it, as it were
and leaving the afflicted to suffer without the
attention Of any person. In large cities, It's
effect is known to operate iniuriously to the
prosperity of business; and in small country
villages, its prevalence places quictus upon
nearly every department of industry.
In this communication, | shall in the first
place, speak of the great importance Of using
every means to obtain a genuine article of vac
cine virus. Secondly, shall insist upon pro-
per attention being paid to those circumstances,
which often CONFERENCE.-The the propriety of
vaccination. As it REGARDS the vaccine mat
ter, the importance Of more frequently taking
it fresh from the COW, must be manifest in as
much as its passage through so many systems
dilutes it or changes its specific character,
so that it can no longer saturate the sys-
tenn with its vaccine inauence-thus leav-
ing it partially exposed, one of the most fruit
ful sources Of varoloid. Again-matter taken
from the arm of child in which the vaccine
disease did not run its regular course by reason
OF idosyncrasy or other causes, cannot be de-
pended upon; rupturing the vescle in the ear
ly stage of the vaccine disease, or much fric-
ton produced by the clothing, will divert the
vaccination from its regular course, in such a
manner as to render the operation Intellectual,
and produce virus of spurious character. -
With reference to those circumstances which
CONFERENCE.-The the propriety of vaccination,
they are, IN my opinion, more numerous than
is generally supposed by physicians. What is
the object of vaccination? 1t is to DESTROY in the
human organization natural susceptibility to
small pox--a disease strictly specific in its
character, arising from peculiar CONTAGIOUS
substance, which occurs both in the form of a
"palpable virus and an impcrceptbe efflu-
vlum;" and which is the only known cause by
which the disease can be produced If, then,
small Pox be so specific in its character, it is
a reasonable conclusion that the means neces-
sary TO destroy the susceptibility of the human
organization TO it, must also be specific; and
in order that vaccine matter may fully impress
upon the system this specific influence, and ue-
nerate virus possessing the same specific cha
racter, it is important, that the system should
be as free as possible from all other influences.
Again-the necessity Of the system being free
from the influence of diseased or disordered ac-
ton, is rendered manifest by keeping in mind
principle, which | suppose is generally adj
nntted-that no two diseases, arising from
distinct causes, and both productive Of general
fever can occupy the system at the same time.
The effect of measles upon small pox, when
they both meet in the same person, fully sus-
tains the principle. 1t is we'll known to every
physician, that the supcrVention ofthe former
upon the latter, causes the small pox pustues
to stop their development and remain station
airy, until the measles have run their regular
course, when the pustuGs resume their pro-
gress, and proceed to their regular termna-
tion-thus showing that measles have the
power Of aTesting the small pox eruption af-
ter 1t has made its appearance upon the sur
face. Now if small pox can be diverted from
It's regular course, what objection is there to
the conclusion, that the vaccine disease may
also be diverted from its regular progress, in
such manner, as to not impress the system
with It's influence, and, consequently, not al
ford 1t perfect immunity from small pox!
! Some may object 10 this doctrine upon the
grounds, that should any disease arrest vacci-
nation IN us progress, it, like small poX, would
resume It's usual course after the disease by
which it was arrested had passed of. No
doubt this is often the case; but the diseases
which arrest vaccination arc mostly Of a Chro-
NC character, and suspend its progress until
the virus is removed from the system by its
/ physiological actions. There is no doubt that
spurious vaccine disease is frequently produced
by the use Of matter which has lost its actiyi-
| tV nv bnipn kna at lpn, - oil
by use Of matter from spurious pustue, Md
by genuine matter diverted from its regular
operation by idiosyncracy and constitutional
arrangement; but of all causes that divert it
IN It's operation, cutaneous affections, acute and
chronic, are the most numerous and most re-
Morally overlooked by physicians. Some weeks
ago, was requested by lady to vaccnate
three OF her children, neither Of which had
ever been vaccnated before; after the opera
ton was performed upon the two eldest, the
youngest was found to have u small ulcer up
on the rig int arm; | then informed the mother
OF the probability Of the operation not affect
ing the youngest by reason Of the uIcer-but
by her request it was vaccinlted, and in ten
days | visited those children, and found the
vaccine disease fully established in the two
| eldest, but the youngest was not affected,
then introduced the virus a second time; it had
no effect. My attention was then directed to
the ulcer, and it was dried up, after which the
vaccine disease, by third operation, was fully
established. | was equally unsuccessful i'll the
case of child suffering with a slight sore OIL
the left corner of the mouth. Snail, and ap-
parently insignificant, abrasions of the skin;
slight discharges from tho lining membrane of
the ear, sore eyes, scald head, discharges be-
hind the ears, or neck, which are frequently
met with in fleshy children, all act as contra
indicating circumstances, and claim the atten-
ton of the physician. From my own expert
ence, am lirmly Of the opinion, if these con-
dtions are closely attended to, the cases of va
rioloid will be less numerous, and public conf
dence in vaccination greatly increased. Vac
cination being parformed under circumstances