Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-12-14
THE SMALLPOX.

rs to demand serious attention. About
one year ago it first attracted notice III
New York. Measures were at once taken
by the sanitary inspectors to check and
guard against its ravages, but up to the
close of the first week in this month the
number of cases reported in that city is
1914. Of these 705 are reported to have
died. These are not probably all the cases
nor all the deaths in the city from the dis
ease, but are such as came to the knoWl-
edge of the sanitary authorities.
During the year the disease has visited
many of our large cities and spread INTO
many country places. In some OF the
cities It has occasioned large number OF
deaths. At Philadelphia there have been
many cases At Lowell in Massachusetts
it has been quite fatal. Business there has
in some measure been interfered with,
and the best exertions of the health au-
thorites have been necessary to keep it
within control And according to the re-
ports which we have we think there Is
good reason to fear that the spread OF the
disease may be wider and more general
the coming year than it has been the past.
While it seems to be checked somewhat at
the points wht re it has ragged mostthe past
twelve months, there are accounts of fire.
quent cases here and there, in the rural
districts. which show that it has been car
ried abroad from the cities, to break out
no one knows where, nor to what extent
Our rapid and crowded means of travel
increase the danger, bringing more peo-
pie to the cities where it.exists, and en-
aiding single passenger in the cars to
extend the infection to hundreds.
We find that the health authorities at
Lowell rely chiefly upon isolation and
vaccination to check the disease. The
latter they do not deem reliable in all
cases, though generally safe. In New
York the Board of Health resorted to and
depended upon vaccination to prevent the
spread of the disease, and with success
they believe. In the spring twenty-eight
medical officers were put at work to vac
cinate the people, and up to the first of
October they had vaccinated hundred
thousand persons. During the month OF
October the whole number OF cases re-
ported was but thirty-seyen, while the
next month, November, in which vacci-
nation was discontinued, the lumber of
cases ran up to one hundred and fifty
seven. Then vaccination was commenced
again. and the inspectors advise that it be
not discontinued until the whole popula-
ton is vaccinated.
In their report the Board of Health say ::
at is remarkable fact, but one that GER
tainly should convince the most sceptical
of the benefits of vaccination, that there
has not been single person vaccinated
by the health officers attacked by the dis
ease. Another fact equally important is
that of the forty employees of the Board of
Health, who are constantly being brought
in contact with the smallpox, not one has
been attacked, and this is attributed to
their vaccination every SPRING"
They also say that the disease is not
confined, by any means, to any ward,
street, or portion of the city. 1t has APP
peared in Fifth avenue near Twenty third
street, as well as the novels of the poor,
and, unlike other epidemics, does not re-
quire filth and squalor to feed it, The
moment a case of supposed smallpox is
reported an inspector is sent out, the pa
tient examined, and, if found infected, an
ambulance is telegraphed for, and the vic
tim is sent to the hospital, if isolation in
his house is impossible.
There is a prejudice against vaccination
on account of fear of the purity of the
vaccine matter used. We are assured by
our best physicians that such fear is
groundlcss. The greatest care is taken
to obtain that which is pure. It's OBJ
tanned at the hospitals, OF the best sub
jects, and thence is distributed by proper,
competent, and careful authorities to
practicing physicians, who place the ut
most confidence in it. This idle fear pre-
vents many from being vaccinated until it
is too late OF the hundreds OF thousands
of cases of vaccination the past year, none
have been reported where evil effects from
the use Of impure matter have occurred.
The community, family or person which
puts off vaccination on account of this
prejudice when smallpox is at the door, is
unwise. We believe it is high time that
the attention of the public is turned to
this subject, SO that measures Of proven
ton may be applied in season.
The Tribune says There is refreshing
contrast between the accounts of the enter
tainment of the Grand Duke Alexis in Boston
and that Of New York's efforts on similar
occasion. The Grand Duke had all that New
York cooks, wine merchants and upholsterers
could do to make his visit agreeable, and a
charming trip around the harbor was thrown