Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-12-06
Small pox
Office Wisconsin State Board of Health, Appleton
November Il. 1877.

persons, out of total of over 1000
cases of the disease.
These facts call for renewal of
words of advice, and OF
emphatic warning, 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 absolute
u preventdble, is great reproach to
the State and fixes so grave re-
sponsibiIity both upon the individual
citizen and upon the legally constr
tuted Local health boards.
We reiterate our matured convic-
ton as set forth in our circular on
this disease, dated December l6,
1876, that
SMALL PoX Is PRE- EMINENTLY A PRE-
VENTABE DISEASE
That we possess the means by which
we may confidently expect TO keep
it from our homes, and from our
communities, 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 and obstinan-
cy of the people, or the inefficiency
or criminal neglect of the Local
Health Authorities.
Fully impressed with this belief,
we therefore urge upon the physici-
ans and upon all good citizens OF
Wisconsin that they give to the
lawful authorities such moral and
and material support as will enable
them and compel them, in Difference
to public opinion, to institute such
measures as will serve to arrest the
progress of the disease and to Grad
icate it from the State. These meas
ures are the thorough isolation OF
every case that may occur, and the
careful
vACCINATIoN AND RE. VACCINATION
of all who are exposed. The under
signed have unqualified confidence
in the protective power OF thorough
vaccination, believing that it can
render to all persons perfect protec-
ton against any form OF variolous
disease-but to secure this protec-
ton three conditions must be care
fully observed :
1It. The virus used must be Wig
orous and pure. Enfeebled or de-
Perforated or improperly selected
virus may produce spurious and
wholly unprotecting sores. At best
they give but an imperfect develop
ment of the vaccine disease, hence
lead to feeling of false security,
and not unfrequently bring dlscredit
upon the operation. We recommend
the use of Bovine Virus as being
free from all objections, safe in all
cases, producing the maximum OF
protective influence, and being al.
ways available in any quantity
needed,
I'd. The operation must be skill
fully and properly performed. The
careless and imperfect manner in
which Vaccination is often perform
ed and the utter lack of watchful-
ness of the result, or knowledge as
knowledge as to whether there has
resulted genuine. typical visicle,
is a grevious mistake. The opera
ton should be conscientiously per.
formed, and the development there
of carefully observed antil it is
known to be protective.
Sd, Revaccination should be FREE
quently practiced to test the re-
turning susceptibility of the system
to the small pox contagion.
BY a strict and universal obser-
vance of these rules we believe that
Small Pox 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 revaccination the
the facts are, that certain number
of persons are protected for life by
one vaccination, while the protec-
ton of others extends to but linn
tied and variable period. Hence as
we are without the power to distin-
guish between these classes, revac-
cination is as essential as primary
operation and should be performed
at least every five years. 1t 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
measure 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 inn
press this duty upon the citizens.
Should Small Pox unfortunately
appear in any community, we ear.
nestly recommend the adoption Of
the following rules =
ISOLATION.
Thoroughly isolate every case
that may occur, and keep it so isola-
ted until all danger that the disease
can be communicated is past. IF the
patients be kept in private house
it is better that the uppermost rooms
Of the house be used for the purpose
every person in the vicinity,
should at once be vaccinated with
out regard to any previous opera
ton.
In the case of death, the funeral
and burial should be conducted with
the strictest privacy, and should be
under the direction of the Health
Officer.
DESTRUCTION.
At the close of the disease, articles
which can be so treated, should be
disinfected by being subjected to the
action of boiling wato:, or may be
baked in an oven at a temperature
of not less then 212 degrees. Heat
effectually destroys the poison germ.
Such articles as cannot be so
treated should remain in the room
after the removal of the patient and
be subjected to
sULPHURoUs FUMIGATIoN