The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1854-02-08
From the New York Herald.
VaccinatiOsl-isi "a Rsreycntn.
tive of Small Esox

we puDliSn Tor the benefit OF our
Readers, the subjoincd article, by DR..
e. ii. DIXON. 1T is upon subject of
peculiar interest To our community
just ut this time, and We hope our
readers will profit by The advice it con.
tains.
To TUE EDIToE OF TEE HERALD.-In
answer to the repeated requests OF n
public exposition Of my opinions with
regard t" the preventative power of
vaccination, and how | account for the
present extensive prevalence Of tho
small pox, reply,
lst. That vaccination is unqucstion.
ably very powerful preventative is
shown ununswerably fromItlc fact that
history proves that the mortality, hav-
ing formerly been5sso irighttul as to
sweep off more thaM@ half of all per-
sons exposed, has beer SO far reduced
by vaccination, when even ilnperfectly
or very carelessly performed, as not to
exceed live per cent, and that this
small proportion is still further re.
duccd, even in those who are seeming.
~ not susceptible to full and satisf;lct-
ory vaccination.
"a. Are there any persons to whom
the vaccine vesiclc cannot be commuu.
icatcd! and if SO. are those persons la
bic TO small pox? 1t has been supposed
that those persons who are inocuated,
j. e. with the virus or lympth of the
small poX, taken in the natural way,
"a process since the discovery Of COW
pox, forbidden by law) as well as those
who have once had the disease, were
not Liable to a second attack. This
is certainly incorrect. have, within a
fortnight past, SUCCEEDED in producing
two very perfect vaccine vesivlcs in
two persons much pitted from, llatu-
raj and severe attack several years
since. They were both servants in
the families ottwo Of my patients; and
what is singular. they were the only
two full and complete vcsiclcs, having
all the proper characteristics as in the
vaccination of the infant, amongst sew
cntccn persons, the united number
OF the two families. Several of these
vcsicles however, presented such mark
cd characteristics rs to assure me the
parties were liable to greater or lesser
degrees small poX or to varioloid, as
we call it; and several were entirely
unsusceptiblc. the vcsiclcs not showing
itself; in these it was supposed the
former or infanlinc vaccination had
protected them. This however, can
only be.tully proved by again vaccn-
ating them, rs it is impossible to say
but some hidden cause, not ascerlui,la,
blc.n any other way. might have pre-.
vented the virus from showing the dis
tinctive characteristics.
81. How do | account for its un-
usual prevalence this year?
answer, there is undoubtedly an
atmospheric prcdisposition. existing at
hi aiurI,ty,
this: All the inhabitaflts OF ourcity take
them one with another, are US well
protected this year as the last. Small
Pox existed ST year, and does more
or less every year, to an extent suf.
iicient to spread all over the city. The
fact is it will in year spread ms cx-
tcnsively from six cases rs from sixty;
and will manage to catch an immense
majority of those who are not pro-
tected. Now this season, small pox is
vastly more prevail mt than it has
been within forty years; indeed, it is
so much more SO, that we have no
rational cause left than atmospheric
prcdisposition for its great increase.
lhc only safe method in this disease
Is to vaccInate the same person several
times, or rs long rs the sore is produ
ced, with the distinctive character of
the vaccine vcscIe or COW pox.
The proof of the gcnuineSs of the
vcSlcle is this, viz: on the eighth day
from the insertion of the matter.
(Which process should never draw q
drop of blood for more would wash it
away,) the sore should present tie
following appearance: An oval centre
OF brownlsh color, Il light circle of
pcariy resclcs, containing the lymph,
or specific matter, and u rose colorcd
blush extending from the outer circle
ct this penrIy border all around it.
and fading impcrceptibly into the sur
rounding skin. Unless it presents
more or less of this appearance, it is
oul y a common sore, and in nowise
protective. Just in propolion as it
approaches the above appearance it is
perfect. | consider two or three trials
with good reliable lymph on the quill,
taken from the sixth to The ninth dav,
and inserted without drawing n full
drop ofblood, suificicnt.--Irit do not
take consider that person sufficiently
protected by the former vaccination.
would certainly, however, revaccinate
every few years. In the eleventh mum.
Der of the Scapel there is popular
article on this subject, to which we re-
Ter all readers desirous ofinvcsticatinr
the few known facts in the history of
the disease.
Respectfully, your obedient servant.
EDWARD II. DIXON,
Editor ofthe Scapcl, 42 Fifth avenue.