Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-11-28
---srArs BoARn OF HEALrH.
DIR. Rush,s Address Upon Vaccina-
tlOn-SaniIary Reports.


Ion-SaniIary Reports.
At Tuesday afternoon session of the
State Board of Health, held at
the Central Hotel. Sixth and Freuch
streets, Secretary Frazer made ihis re-
ports. He stated he had notified each
minister, undertaken and physician,
whose address he could obtain, that all
births, deaths and marriages must be
recorded with the recorder of deeds of
the county in which they occurred, or
they would be punched under the
amended law governing such cases. He
requested he Rov. II. B. Cook, to give
him the names OF the Baptist ministers
In the State, and DIR. l.. A. Kittinger for
the names OF the homeopathic physicians,
but to date neither had complied with
his request.
Replies in regard to the sanitary con-
dition OF certain portions Of the State in
answer to postal cards sent out by Score
tary Frazer TO so different physicians were
received from ORA. Ellegood OF Delmar;
Springer OF Christiana; Skinner of Glas-
gov; Vallandisham OF st. Georges;
Whistler OF Newark; Whitley of
Frederick; Marshall of Milford; Day of
Pennington; Johns OF Seaford; Hopkins
of Milton; SuddIer OF Bridgeville; Dewitt
OF ST. Georges; Richards of Georgetown;
Eilegood OF Laurel; Stewart of New
CASTLE showing there are no epidemics.
There are some malarial fever, but the
principal causes OF illness are bowel COM
plants and consumption.
President Bush and Secretary Frazer
were appointed committee on the dis
tribution of circulars on the prevention
OF diphtheria and other diseases. The
secretary was instructed to have 300 cir
culsrB printed in regard to the organiza-
tion Of boards of health.
DR.. Bush read an important paper on
| the subject Of vaccination. He said in
part; On the 2lst of March, 1883, the
Legislature OF this state passed son act
to provide for the vaccination of child en-
| in the free schools" of the State, which
required all children to present salts
factory evidence OF vaccination before
being allowed to take their seats in the
schools. The purpose Of the law ia ap-
parent, viz: to prevent the spread in the
schools and communities OF one of the
most loathsome and fatal diseases to
which humanity Is liable. In order to
present to the minds Of the people of
the State the best evidence of the I'M
portance Of this law, DIR. John K, Kane,
a member Of the State Board Of Health,
presented, at its request, an elaborate
and accurate statement of the history of
vaccination, its controlling power in pre-.
venting smallpox and of the immensely
diminished mortality from TINT disease
since the introduction OF vaccination.
DIR. Kane showed the fallscy OF tho pop
ular error that diseases more to be
dreaded than smallpox were likely to he
introduced by vaccination. These PAM
phlets were scattered extensively as pos.
sible through the State; and it was pre-
sumed that enough interest would be
taken in this subject to induce the school
commissioners of the various towns ia the
State to have the law executed. II is to
be deplored, however, that no such effect
hes been pronounced outside of Whining
ton-where the law has been enforced
unless in very few places. The dere-
LECTION of the duty thus imposed upon
the commissioners is all the more mex.
cusable, rs every obstacle is re-
moved which might have embar-
raised the observance of the law-and
thus throughout the State the door is left
open for the introduction of the fatal
small pox into any and every section OF
our State. The dereliction of duty by
the school commissioners is condemned.
Unfortunately the Legislature has fixed
no penalty for non observance of the law.
The State Board OF Health has done oil
that 1t can do in this matter; the respon.
sibi!ity OF the neglect of this benehceni
measure must rest where the Legislature
has placed it; and sooner or later the sad
consequences OF this neglect will iEevita-
bly, fall upon the innocent victims whose
protection could be ensured.