Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-02-20
TTor the Evans7ill- Journ,,.
" Emali-rnX.n

The Journal of tie 18th inst. contain
cd an article over the signature of G
W. Walker, N. D., on the subject of The
above caption, which we think com
mends itself to every citizen of VandeE
burgh county, for It's humane and valu
able suggestions, and which, although
late in appearing, We hope IS not too iate
to arouse the authorized conservators OF
the health of the city and county to al
appreciation Of the absolute need oi
adopting a moro rational, scientific, and
Efficient method Of protection against
various coniagiou. To further this 90
jet | beg leave sto atd one or two
thoughts to the Doctors valuable sag
gestions
First. Ought not the city authorities.
including the Board of Health, to adopt
prompt measures for the establishment
of hospital for the accommodation of
all smallpox patients that cannot obtain
proper care and treatment in private
families, to be under the exclusive
charge of Physician of experience and
skill.
Second. Is not promiscuous VAGINA
ton by the unskillful and inexpeSepced,
not only highly improper, but often hurt
ful-tending as it evidently does, to i'm
pair the security of the community
against infectious diseases, by making
hybrids of the only recognized prophy-
lscties against them. Every intelligent
medical man knows that vaccine, and
other cutaneous diseases mutually inhu-
enee each other, and important modif-
cations are the result; so that, when ir-
regularity and divergence from the gen.
uine cause and nature of the disease &C.
surs, it cannot be relied upon as pre-
ventive against smallpox infection.
Spurious vaccine disease is often pro-
duced even when genuine matter has
been employed by reason of the preoccu-
pancy of the system of some cutaneous
disease.
Sometimes it may arise from the use
of matter which has lost its propogating
qua!tties, or that has been taken from a
spurious pustule.
Such causes have created doubts in
the minds of many professional men as
to the conserving power of vaccine dis
ease against smallpox; but | am fully
persuaded, after a careful observation
on the subject for more than thirty years,
that with an operator who is skillful and
well informed as to the characteristics
of genuine vaccine disease, and who en-
ploys pure matter in subjects whose sys-
TENS are not occupied by antagonistic
disorders, almost iBcGria6te saccess will
follow the employment; andIS every
case it will modify and greatly reduce
the violence and fatality of variola.
From these considerations l would,
therefore, earnestly enforce the closing
suggestion of DR.. Walker, that VAGINA
ton be universal as to the subject, and
let me add, SELECT AS TO TnB OPERATOR.
Let the proper authorities, both of the
city and county, appoint two or more
competent physicians, whose experience
will justify the confidence of the public,
to visit the various wards of the city,
aud each township of the county, and
apply the means of safety and protection
to every one, in timely and effoctual
manner.
Finally, let the most stringent mea-
sures be employed to ferret out and iso-
late every case, mild or malignant, of
the infectious disease, providing for
them every comfort and attention they
require. I. II. RUCKER, n. D.
Blue GRASS, Feb. 10, 1864.