The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1884-05-10
No. Cases. Recoyeties. Dea
White gol,d. White Col,d Wbita


The mortality Of small pox epidemics in
localities where subjects are not vaccinated
averages from 70 to so per cent. The average
per cent; is more than one-third. As will be
seen by the above figures the number of deaths
among whites is far below those figures, while
mortality among both white and colored is be-
low the average mortality of one-third.
From the statment by your Treasurer it will
be seen thatz there has been expended by the
Board, for treatment of persons sick with
small poX. pay of nurses salary of Health
Officer, and vaccination, ts120I g.. This is about
81 per patient, very fcreditable showing for
the Boards Wise and ec0nmical management of
it's finances.
It may be well to state that owing to the fact
that the Board of Health was organized at q
the work of your Health Officers has been for
the most part on the defensive. With a people
not protected by vaccination and without any
organized system in the beginning to resist the
extension or eradicate the contagion of small
pok, the appearance of the disease in each
locality it visited was d signal to your Health
Ohieer to prepare g!. for battle under great dis
advantages. With an abundance of ur,vac-
cinated material with which to intrench and
strengthen itself the disease was in every case
for 9 time master Of the field" In every
locality IN which it appeared this condition of
things existed and rendered it necessary for
your Health Officer to fight again the oft fought
battle---to perform the difficult task of resist
ing with vaccination the spread of small pox
in an unvaecnated community. The difficnIty
1naecessiblhty of many people to the vaccina-
tors the objections of others to the practice of
vacc1n alton, the uncertainties as respects the
activity OF even the best virus when properly
planted together with the excitement and con-
fusion caused by the presence of contagious and
loathsome dlsease-all eembatted against the
successful practice OF vaccination and favored
the extension OF the disease.
The lesson to be learned from the late cpl
demic Is, that 30 long as this sta tie of .ines il
possible, 50 long vii the task Of supervising
unpromising. For it is impossible in the midst
OF an epIdem1c to Greform vel and sa tisfactoriiy
the whole work of vaccination that should have
been done, from time, to time and at leisure,
during the preceding five or ten years. It is a
work that should be under the direction Of q
permanently established Board of Health and
performed IN q systematic manner. Annually
an appropriation should be made for vaeeina-
ton and expended on those Glasses of society
most negleetful of this important SANITARY
measure. No child should be admitted into
the public schools who can not show evidence
of successful vaccination, By the onerstlon III
such a system in few years The parish vsn,if9
be IN measure protected against small pox,
and less money would be expended than is urs-
der the existing conditions frittered away on a
single epidemic.
In clesingshis, the lastrepoH which doubtless
your Health Officer will have the honor Of
presenting to this Board, he would be forgetful
Of his sense of right were he not to commend
its members for the diligence and zeal they have
shown In the adoption and enforcement of
sanitary measures; and in an equal measure
would he be unjust to hisown feelings were he
not to acknowledge with gratitude their many
kindnesses to him, as vol as the evidences Of
their appreciation of his humble services
Respectfully, A. G. LOVE, III. D..
Health 0ffieer.4pa of Ascension,
On motion of Mr.. Mccall, the thanks of the
Board were rendered to the Health Officers for
.'s i1''4lu ''s''&fse mgr Z. + fa1 HANSON,
A true copy. President
Secrafarr.