Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-04-21
Vaccination.


This subject j. Interesting at the pres
ent time. because il i nearly an infalli-
bic prevention of smallpox, that now
prevails in our cities and larger towns.
Formerly smallpox removed a large
per cent. of those who contracted il. Its
preventive power i not a matter Of
opinion, but OF fact. And still We now
and then meet with weak men and
weaker women, who resist the evidences
of facts. We have known several men
who We're exposed 10 this dreadful NAL
ady, and contracted it and died. No in
telligent man can ignore the fact that
the deaths from this disease is now a
very small per cent. of what it was in
former days before the introduction Of
the great prevention. Not that did
many die in the former days, but very
many who did not die recovered only
with shattered health and extreme dis
tigurement. Even at the present time
some men exist who resist persistently
the power of cow-pox to prevent the
coming of smallpox. We can not but
urge every one to embrace the kine-poX,
in order that smallpox may not seize
and destroy or entail upon the human
system vast amount of suffering.
No doubt the best time for vaccinat-
ing infants is between the fortieth and
one hundredth day of life. During this
interval the process of dentition does
not irritate the system, and so does not
render the usual sufferings.
Some few persons can not be vaccin-
ated. The virus does not take. If in
sorting the virus in the arm does not
take, insert it in tho calf of the leg. Re-
peat the vaccination four or more times
Observation shows that all persons are
not equally disposed to receive the Vi
rus, and that very few persons are
never susceptible to its influence. A
physician exposed himself to smallpox
nearly every day for four years without
contracting the disease, but at last took
the disease and died.
1t is important to obtain perfectly
healthy vaccine lymph, and should be
taken from perfectly healthy infant or
young heifer. Mothers usually prefer to
have their children vaccinated from an
infant whom they know to be in good
health and free from any constitutional
disease.
We usually introduce the vaccinating
matter at some six inches below the tip
of the shoulder and little to the outer
side. In some rural districts, physicians
are so sparse that mothers may safely
do it themselves. 1t is only necessary
for us to say that the matter taken from
the pustules already mature should be
taken on the seventh day. 1t is then rs
clear as water. The present way OF
vaccinating is to scarify two spots on
the infants arm, cutting several par
allel lines at right angles to each other.
A needle may scarify the skin rs well
as a lancet. On these scarilied spots
rub in the virus. The virus is taken on
ivory tips. When the spots have been
scarified, dip the tips in pure water and
at once rub them upon the spots hard
enough to rub off the virus on the tips
1t is not necessary, but it may be wise,
to cover the spo: with cOurt-plaster, so
that clothing the arm may not erase the
virus from the surface. On the fourth
day, or earlier, the vaccinated spots
may begin to look red and form vesi-
Gle. BE cautious not to rub it lest the
rubbing should rupture the vesicle.
Keep the clothing over the vesicle very
loose rs the arm begins to swell. If the
vesicle is broken before the seventh day,
the virus, or clear serum, is unfit to vac
cinate others with. The health of the
child from whom the virus is taken
should be considered. He should be free
from all infectious maladies, and from
all constitutional diseases. Not only
should the child be healthy and free
from all morbid diathesis, but its par
ents also should be free.
Tho nrOpnac of vaccination ynoxy not
produce any constitutional disturbance,
nor is it important that it should be so.
If constitutional symptoms do appear
On the seventh or eighth day, the infant
will be restless and feverish, and the
bowels may be more or less disturbed.
In infants of a full habit, on the tenth
day an eruption may appear on the
limbs, often extending to the trunk.
Two of the vesicles should not be
touched, but be allowed to complete
their growth and reach maturity, and
fall on the twenty-first day. Ii more
than two pustules have formed, lymph
or vaccine virus may be taken from any
OF the others. Two vesicles should be
let alone and allowed to mature. Those
vesicles that mature and fall leave a
prominent circular scar, somewhat de-
pressed, and showing six or eight minute
pits. This is the proper course of a
genuine and efficient vaccine vesicle. If
the course of its growth is defective in
any of these points, especially if the in
famed ring does not form, the vaccina-
ton is not worthy of confidence, and SO
the infant should be vaccinated the Sec
ond time.
Vaccinating does not prevent contract
ing smallpox for an indefinite period
of time; so that revaccination may be
done every seven years. 1t seems to be
necessary in some cases, as when the
vaccinations have become indistinct, or
smallpox prevails, or if occupation ex-
poses them to this disease. In a few
weeks after the vaccine scab has fallen,
agood vaccine scar is distinct, indented
and dotted, with wen-defined edges. A
poor scar is indistinct, smooth, not in
dented, with irregular and ill-defined
all