Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-01-19
VACCINATION.

The question of the necessity of general
vaccination in the State has very properly
been brought to the notice of the Legisla-
ture. The disease which it is used to pre-
vent is spreading over the country more
rapidly now than at any time the past year.
1t is prevailing all over the eastern CONT
nent, from whence it is continually COM
ing to our ports by the arrival of emf
grants. In New York, in spite of active
measures to prevent its spread and in
crease it RACES with undated violence. In
Philadelphia it is still worse. the number
of cases increasing and the mortality
being greater. There is an opinion eX-
isting that the truth is exaggerated to
create panic, but the real state of the
case is that the extent and fatality of the
disease have been far greater than the
reports. From the great cities it is liable
to be sent into all parts of the country, to
break out where no one can tell. 1t is best
be on our guard, remembering that san
ounce of prevention is worth a pound of
cure" The following from an article in
the New York Post may be profitable to
our readers:
1.-THE subject of most direct interest to our
readers at this time and in this connection is
vaccination. Quarantine and general super
vision of the disease as it appears within the
city may be left to the proper authorities, but
on each individual lies the responsibility Of
adopting the only approximate preventive of
contagion. When the custom of vaccinna-
ton was first introduced by DR.. Edward Jen-
ner, in 1906, it was hoped that it would be an
absolute protection against the disease. This
hope has not been fully justified; but the dis
covery has served to check the spread of con-
tagion and to protect very large percentage
of persons vaccinated. Even previous at
tack is not always sure preventive, and in
some cases a third attack has occurred. In
nearly all instances, however, where persons
vaccinated have had the small pox, it has
been in a mild form, and of short duration,
resulting at very rare intervals in death. The
degree of safety resulting from vaccination
may be inferred by the study of a few statis-
tics. In England during the latter half of the
eighteenth neutrality-suspicious. to Or. Jenners
discovery-the number of deaths by small
pox in 1000 deaths was Sc; during the first
half of this century the number was only So.
In general, the mortality by this disease in
various countries is in direct proportion to
the use Of vaccine. In England and Wales
the number Of deaths by small pox reported,
is about % in 600, while in Ireland, where
vaccination is mach less general, the pro-
portion is - in 1000. In other parts of
Europe the average has varied from in
1000 in Bohemia, Lombardi Venice and
Sweden, where vaccination is compulsory, to
l-2 in 900 in Saxony.
Where persons yaccinated have been at
tackled by smallpox, it has been noticed that
they were generally vaccinated many years
previously. The protective influence appa.
rently varies with different individuals. Re-
vaccination seems to be the only fair test of
the loss or retention of this influence. In the
Prussian army, in 1913, out of 28, $50 per-
sons revaccinated, in TO- 62 cases the vac
cine ''took, to use popular expression or,
IN more correct phrase, there were regular
vesicles. In 4, 4O4 cases there were irregular
vesicles, and in 7,753 cases there was no ef-
feet at all. The latter number were all re-
vaccinated q second time, and the experiment
was successful with 1879. OF the entire
number thus successfully vaccinated (lS,44D
only one afterwards had the varioloid, and
not one had the smallpox.
There is no reason why every citizen of
New York should not be vaccnated There
are few persons among our readers who do
not trust to respectable family physician,
who should be called upon at once by all who
have never been vaccinated, and by all who
were vaccinated SO long ago that the continued
effect is uncertain Every policeman in the
street has been instructed, by order of the
Board of Health, to direct persons wishing
to be vaccinated to such places as the city has
provided, where it is done without charge
and with virus selected from children with
\ \ II knTo