Smyrna times., 1881-01-19
Vaccine Virus.
IMPORTANCE OF VACCINATION ASA PREVENTIVE
OF sMALL.Pox-How OFTEN TO vAcCI.
NATE-oPINIoNs OF EMF.
NENT PHYsI-
CLANS.

CLANS.
There is considerable small. pox in Chi. |
cago, and the papers complain that some |
OF the doctors neglect to report the cases
to the health officers. One place in the |
city, Workingmen's Hail." was found to
be hot-bed for the disease. One doctor,
attending child, pronounced the disease
to be chicken.pox, but it proved to be |
smallpox, and from it others became in. |
fected with the disease. Thirteen cases
have already been traced to that one origin. |
These facts show how important it is that
the municipal authorities and physicians
should act in harmony and with certainty,
for the suppression of this hideous disease.
In this connection it will be interesting
to note the opinions of prominent Chicago
physicians as to the value of vaccination
as q preventive of smallpox, and upon
other points concerning the disease. The
question "How often ought people to be
vaccinated" came up, and in response to
the inquiry "Does vaccination lose its
efficacy after seven years?" DR.. A. E. Small
said
ain my opinion it does not. believe
one good vaccination steels the censtitu-
ton against various disease for ever after.
wards. That, hold, is the general rule,
with a few exceptions. l was only vacci.
mated once, when l was seven years Of age.
have been exposed TO the disease q mum.
Der of times since, and have never had
trace of it. The first vaccination, if it
does not steel the constitution against the
disease entirely, acts as protective, and if
the disease is taken it comes in mild and
modified form, at least in great majority
of cases."
Per contra, DR.. J, Syndom Knox said ::
st certainly does. When l was in the
health Office three years ago, had an OPP.
portunity of seeing a large number of
cases of smallpox, and notice that about
ons-half the smallpox patients taken to
the peat house had been successfully vac.
cinated in infancy, showing that the efficacy
of the first incubation had, in the course
of time, almost entirely disappeared. But
| notice at the same time that the mortality
among them was much less than among
those who had never been vaccination at
ALL"
DR.. Edwin Hale said Virus, in some,
people, remains all their lives. In others,
owing to some idiosy ncrasy, it seems to re.
main but a few years"
ala there anything in the so.called seven
years rule ~
"Seven years is not a rule to 60 by"
"What is the origin of that ruler"
sit is my recolle elton that the seven.
year rule is based on SEINE investigation
made in the Prussian army. The circum.
stance was that they noticed that every
year certain percentage of the soldiers
had the smallpox. At that time a single
{ vaccination was considered sufficient. OF
those who had smallpox in the army,
nearly all had been vaccinated seven years
previous. Consequently the com mission re-
ported to tho government that it was best
to vaccinate every seven years. The re-
commentator became law, and was car
| AANA AheO bhN oOhOOAog AHA ~ now III FOEut
throughout the German Empire.
"My own experience during twenty
, years." the Doctor continued, sis that some
> persons will take vaccination every year
and again, two per cent. will never TAX,
? vaccination. Ia several instances some o
) this class took small-p ox violently. On,
. child | know of had been vaccinated fert,
times without avail. believe it is not i'm
munity. think it best, as 3 safeguard t.
v the public, that every citizen and ever,
person should be vaccinatsd every fv
years.
i. DR.. j. Adams Allen (mOst of the Chicsg
2 physicians part their name in the middle
;. it will be Obscrved), said:
J. "Virus may last three months or longer
l. The operation may be repeated sewers
r. times. If, after repetition of vaccination
o the virus does not work, the patient will
y doubtless, not take the Emall.pox. A msr
n scar on the arm argues nothing. Tn
d seven year theory has no foundation. TIL
Il effect OF vaccination may last three month
d. or life time. When the arm is well pitte
9. it shows more or less protection. A larg
Al scar shows nothing; or, if anything, it
10 more likely to show that nc protection wa
"a afforded.
r. Smallpox may run mild course in
IA person or q severe one. It does not d,
or pend on the virus, but on concurrence Z
v disease. Two men may take the smallpo
At from one person and be affected Different
"a by it. One may die and the other nevs
"a. take to his bed. The action of the diseas
"a depends on the condition of the indiviC
ual's surroundings, previous disease, an
dissipation,
K. Zone man with the small. pox may d
u. from the active, inHammatory changes
IT. q third from an accidental evolving of Ii
k, vital organs, especially If be has hered
be tary disease. The fourth will die from e.
ly haustien, weakness, or discharges. The
ho facts show that it is not the virus, but IL
X. concurrent causes of the disease, which o.
or in cases of smallpox as in all diseases"
N. "What does vaccination producer"
N. Z" 1t uses up in the system that which Il
es virus would attack. Such is the suppoi
1t. tien-a mere theory, of course"
I'd "People have an idea that, if after va
cinstion they are pretty sick, they are in
pervious to the disease ever after. This
I'd not true. ] was vaccinatsd twenty yea
ia Imx~ nol x~na 49, e-zw.