Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-12-12
PUBLIC II HYGIENE.
An Address from the Wisconsin State
Board Of Health.
OFFICE OF
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH,
APPLETON, Nov. y.
SMALL POX,

APPLETON, Nov. u.
SMALL POX.
During the last fifteen months small
pox has appeared in 80 different local
tiles in this state, and has caused the
death of more than 425 persons, out OIL
a total of over 800 cases of the dis
ease.
These facts call for renewal OF
words of advice, and of emphatic warn
ing, from the state board of health.
That such an amount of suffering and
the loss of so many valuable lives
should have been caused by disease
so absolutely preventable. is a great re-
proach to the state, and fixes a grave
responsibility both upon the individual
citizen and upon the legally constituted
local health boards.
We reiterate our matured conviction
as set forth in our circular on this dis
ease, dated December IS, 1876, that
SMALL PoX Is PERMANENTLY A PREVENT
ABLE DISEASE.
That we possess the means by which
we may confidently expect to keep it
from our homes, and from our com
munltles, and that it never comes to
either, except as the means known to be
able to prevent it, have been neglected.
1t can maintain continued existence
anywhere. only through the ignorance
or obstinacy Of the people, or the in
efficiency or criminal neglect Of the To-
cal health authorities.
Fully impressed with that belief, we
therefore urge upon the physicians and
upon all good citizens of Wisconsin that
they give to the lawful authorities such
moral and material support as will en-
able them and compel them, in defer
ence to public opinion, to institute such
measures as will serve to arrest the pro-
gress of the disease and to eradicate it
from the state. These measures are
the thorough isolation Of every case
that may occur, and the careful
VACCINATION AND REFRIGERATION
of all who are exposed. The under
signed have unqualified confidence in
the protective power Of thorough vac
cination, believing that it can render to
all persons perfect protection against
any form of variolous disease-but to
secure this protection three conditions
must be carefully observed:
LIST. The Virus used must be rigorous
and pure Enfeebled or deteriorated or
Improperly selected virus may produce
spurious and wholly unprotecting sores.
At best they give but an imperfect de-
velopment of the vaccine disease
hence lead to feeling of false securi-
ty, and not unfrequently bring discred-
it upon the operation.
We recommend the use of BOVINE
VIRUS as being free from all obiec-
tons, safe in all cases, producing the
maximum Of protective influence, and
being always available in any quantity
needed
Cd. The operation must be skillf,llly and
properly performed. The careless and i'm
perfect manner in which vaccination is
often performed, and the utter lack Of
watchfulness of the result, Or knowledge
as to whether there has resulted gen
uine, typical vesicle, is a grievous mis-
take. The operation should be con-
scientiously performed, and the devel-
opment thereof carefully observed until
it is known to be protective.
Sd. Fermentation should be treq,le,,Av
practiced to test the returning suscepti-
bility of the system to the smallpox
contagion.
By strict and universal observance of
these rules we believe that smallpox
might be stamped out of existence. To
neglect such rules is to endanger not
only the life of him who neglects them
but also the lives of those with whom he
associates. We believe there is no valid
excuse for such neglect.
With regard to re-vaccination the facts
are, that certain number of persons
are protected for life by one vaccination,
while the protection of others extend to
but a limited and variable period.
Hence as we are without the power to
distinguish between these classes, re-
vaccination is as essential as primary
operation and should be performed at
least every five years. It should also
be performed at every season of an
epidemic diffusion of the disease.
We recommend that local boards of
health throughout the state, take meas
ures to secure the vaccination of all
children in attendance upon the public
schools, who have not been vaccinated
within five years, and that they use their
influence to impress this duty upon all
citizens
Should small box unfortunately APP
pear in any community, we easnestly
recommend the adoption of the follow
ing rules:
ISOLATION
Thoroughly isolate e,'ery case that may
occur, and keep it SO isolated until all
danger that the disease can be commu-
nicated is past. If the patients be kept
in private house, it is better that the
uppermost rooms of the house be used
fer the purpose-every person in the
vicinity should at once be vaccinated
without regard to any previous oper-
alton.
In case of death, the funeral and
burial should be conducted with the
strictest privacy, and shonid be under
the direction of the health officer.
DIsINFECrION.
At the close Of the disease, articles
which can be SO treated, should be dis
infected by being subjected to the ac-