Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-01-01
Misfellaaeoms.
SMALL POx REMOVED IN SIX WEEKS.

The wide spread and alarming rayages
of small pox in Boston, render every
movement looking TO its suppression and
eradication worthy of notice, if not of
adoption. A valuable and practical les.
son may be learned from the experience
of our sister city, Lowell, and the course
which she pursued. The malady made
its appearance there little less than two
years ago. and in the following summer
assumed such formidable proportions as
demanded immediate and serious atten.
tion; SO that new Board of Health was
chosen, whose sole Office was the examin.
alton of the evil. an object successfully
accomplished within the short space Of
six weeks. The rapid progress made M
der the city authorities, and the old Board
necessitated the adoption Of speedy and
effective measures. To the Board Of
Health was Joined a Board of consulting
physicians, composed of the best medical
talent in the city and vicinity, who com.
missioned twelve other physicians in the
| cityto enter Immediately upon the work
OF vaccination in assigned districts
All exposed and movable cases Of the dis.
ease were at once isolated in hospitals
and other places, where the patients were
the objects OF every attention and kind
ness; signals placed and police stationed
to indicate locality flags by day and Ian.
terms by night suspended at every door Of
dwellings containing the sick, and police
at every door to prevent all ingress or
egress; infected persons and premises fu-
migated in every instance.
Carriages and material used in convey.
ance and treatment OF the disease also
passed through the same process of fumi.
CATION. In cases where opposition occur.
red, and where the common wealrequired.
| legal steps were often taken to secure re.
moval. which the good treatment In hos
pitfalls, as 1t became known, soon made
easy. The Board of Health and the Board
OF consulting physicians held frequent
meetings, marked by harmony Of opin-
ion and endeavor, and every remedy call
cd forth or suggested by the epidemic.
was employed for its extinction. every ad-
vantage being derived from powers grant
ed by the General Statutes of the Com.
monwealth relating to public health. The
measures adopted with such grand suc-
cess were briefly as follows: The prompt
report of all real and supposed cases; the
| expeditions removal of such cases; the
ready destruction of infected material,
| and the fumigation of infected persons
and premises; movements made to pre-.
vent spread of the disease, and vaccina-
ton. Sick rooms were kept we'll ventil-
lated, and at uniform temperature:
cleanliness maintained in every thing;
and disinfection everywhere.
| Vaccination, not always sure safe
guard against the disease, is necessarily
the first step required; and vaccination
Oft repeated, next to isolation, profers to
individuals the best security. The loath-
some and frequently fatal result of the
disease the exposure and number of
cases daily increasing; the large popula-
tion and constant intermingling of people;
and the seed disseminated in all parts OF
New England from such n central point
as Boston, urgently demand more efficient
action on the part of our City Government
for the removal Of the scourge. New
means tried will be Immediately manifest
and favorable results will cause all par.
ties to breathe more freely.-News.