, 1869-02-12


With the light of history, and the records
of medical literature-with what has been
already written, and what is known to be
sound medical opinion BY the intelligent
public of San Francisco, and in face OF what
they have been orally taught by those in
whom they have con6dence-we say that il
is sin and q disgrace that the small pox
continues its work Of devastation amongst US.
For more than half year the number of
victims for each month has steadily increased
beginning with twenty in June, il reaches
one hundred and forty-eight in December
More than half thousand people hurried
in six, months to Lone Mouatsin" BY
pFeveDtible diseasel It seems no use trying
to teach Supervisors, Health Office, or Health
officers; the people themselves must do the
work with the energy and determination that
the people of California have ever shown
when necessity has compelled them to crap,
pie with any great evil, or overcome any
great difficulty.
When every man goes to his daily work
with an inward fear-When death is bring
ing sorrow to so many hearts, and so many
are uutimely cut of in their prime-when
even commerce is in denger of being para
lyzed BY this resistless foe-it is really an in>
suit to common sense, a mockery to expert
ence and intelligence, to play experimental
farces-to work with feeble Wespons-when
record upon record, when unquestionabe
testimony, undeniably proves that the ready
antidote IS before US.
If we were writing for the public we should
tell them what this ready antidote is-what
is the truth that is in us; we should appeal
to them in the name Of humanity and com-
mon sense 10 take the matter into their own
hands, aud not rely longer on those who have
the power, but apparently not the knowledge
to stop the pestIlence we should tell them
that thousand tongues have said again and
again, and recorded experience has verified
the utterance, that universal vaccination and
revaccination is the only remedy and the
very ready antidote that prudence has sug
gested the necessity of disinfecting the house
and clothing where an infected person has
been, aud that while infected he should be
kept as isolated as possible But we write to
the profession, and we are sure there is not
an intelligent member of it in San Francisco
who does not believe that if these measures
we're put etfectually in force, that the disease
would not only be "stamped out" but
rooted out in less than q month.
Well why has it not been 7
We do not wish to be personal 10 our fault
finding; but our authOrities-the Supervi-
sors, the Health Office, and the Health offs
cers-have not met the foe with the proper
weapon they have gone out with sling
and stOne," but their hands are not the
hands of David the sling and the stone
is feeble weapon in unanointed hands.
Speeches and letters, showing plausible
ignorance, self-suficiency, and half-educated
conceit-pumping water into sewers, and
sending round a cart evolving chlorine gas
are far puner weapons than a tiny lancet
with drop of vaccine lymph. This is the
weapon which is sure to kill the small pox.
With shame we confess that this long con
tinuance of the smallpox is an infamous
disgrace to US. We do not mean to the med
ical profession, for as a body they have no
power; we believe each individual has done
bis duty; the blame, the sin, lies with the
authorities we have mentioned, because they
have not long ago enforced the power State
ordinance has already given them, of ap-
pointing physicians for house to house vaeci>
nation, and compelling each and every one to
be vaccinated who has not been so during
the present epidemic.
1t is a work of supererogation to say any
thing to an informed mind as to the para
mount importance and urgent necessity of
such a measure as this. Some we know may
deny, may doubt In answer to those, all
we have to say is, some people deny the ex>
isteuce of an Almighty, and some doubt q
future existence.-GaL. Medical Gazette.