The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-16
A GOOD TIME TO vAccINATE,

The State Board of Health winds up its
December report with the pointed observa-
ton that this is a good time to vacclnate.
Three cases Of smallpox were reported last
month in this city, one in Fresno, one In
Mariposa County, one near Sacramento
and one or two in Santa Barbara County.
These cases are apparently sporadic, and
do not justify appIebensions that the pesti-
lence viii become epidemic, but it is always
we'll to be on the safe side. Isolation and
disinfeetion are excellent measures of quar-
antine and medical skill effects many cures
nowadays. But smallpox is a terrible dis
ease TO domiciIiate in a community. There
are probably thousands Of persons in San
Francisco who were never yacciuated.
They should not neglect TO take this pre-
caution at eBes. Ii is four or five wears
since there was general rage for VAGINA
ton in this city, when nearly everybody
carried a sore arm. This WAS good in
vestment. which will protect US from any
general visitation Of smallpox now, but
unyaccinated persons should take no risks.
It must always be remembered that we
are IN constant intercourse with a country
In which smallpox always prevails. There
is never time when il is not raging in one
or more Of the provinces Of China Like
cholera, it is an Asiat.c disease, and at the
most remote periods was one OF the active
factors in keeping down the redundant
population of that continent. AS one single
case Of continent smallpox may spread the
disease through a whole community il is
seen that ii IS impossible TO be too careful.
Several of the noted outbreaks recorded in
the histories sprang from unexplained
causes. The epidemic of 1860, which swept
away the Huron nation. was not traced TO
any outside source; it must have come from
some infected person who carried the dis
ease west from Quebec or north from New
York, unless we admit the theory of the
spontaneous generation Of the disease A
Chinaman may land here apparently we'll,
yet vi it'll the seeds of the malady in his sys-
tenn; so long as that is the case il is we'll
that the community should be fortified
against possible epidemic.
Whenever boards of health recommend
vaccination some crank steps to the front
and says that it spreads the disease. 1t is
rs well that the public should be armed
with the answer to the paradox. Vaccina-
tion does not spread smallpox, as inoeula-
tlou is said to do. But it does not exter-
inmate it, In an epidemic OF smallpox cases
will occur though every one is vaccinated.
But the cases will take the form of varo-
loId, which is hardly ever fatal and leaves
no marks Oh the face. And in vaccinated
community the disease finds less material
to feed upon than it finds in a community
which has not adopted the precaution, and
cases are less frequent. Indeed the tend
ency of universal vaccination is 10 stamp
out the malady and to relegate it to history.
That process is going on steadily through
out Christendom. Fifty years ago men with
faces SCARED by smallpox we're met at every
corner. Now such unfortunates are rare.
and deaths from smallpox are far more rare
STILL
II is settled fact that to be efficacous
vaccination must be repeated. bow often,
physicians are not agreed. Some say that
the operation should be performed every
seven years; others every three, ald some
think every ten years is often enough. A
safe rule is to vaeclnate whenever an out
break CT the disease Is threatened. Doctors
agree that there is no instance of yaecin-
afed baby taking the smallpox. while
adults who were yaccinated in youth have
taken it and died. People who vaecinat e
should be careful about the virus used. No
virus is safe unless it comes direct from the
vaccine farms at the East. Many doctors
still adhere to the Old practice of using
virus from vaccine sore in patient who
has been successfully vaceinated, There is
always danger in this practice. 1t is open
to the objections which were fatal to inoc-
ulation. And In the blood of unknown pa
tients there may lurk other forms of virus
besides that Of smallpox. Doctors can al
ways get the genuine article. and 1t is best
to insist on that.
This is one Of the healthIest cities in the
world-perhaps on tho whole the healthest
Our death rate would be the lowest in the
tables of mortality were itnot for the East
ern consumptives who come here to die.
But we cannot afford 10 trust the public
health altogether to providence. We must
look out little for ourselves. The public
safety requires the isolation OF diphtheria
quarantining against cholera and vaccina-
ton against smallpox. Citizens who neg