Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1894-06-01
Maryland State Board Of Health.
SEcRETARY's OFFICE,
Baltimore, Md, Nav 10th, 1894.

DoiutAoio, hu'i Way lULu, lOJ4.
To the People of Maryland:
The remarkable prevalence, at the present
time, of epidemic small ox, in numerous
and widely scattered parts Of the United
States, and the recent outbreak of the disease
in Maryland are just causes of anxiety.
Periods of immunity from this loathsome
pestilence are always followed by renewed
invasions of more or less severity. 1t has
been the common experience of all past
times and true Of epidemic diseases in gen.
eral. The explanation is, that the preva-
lence Of a contagious disease, in running its
course, exhausts the material upon which it
feeds, by attacking all who are susceptible
to it. An interval must therefore elapse
long enough to allow a new crop of sus-
ceptible persons to accumulate before an
other epidemic is possible.
Smallpox could always be made an ex-
ception to this law, if the people would uni
versally practice vaccination and revaccina-
ton. In some of the European countries
where such practice is followed, small. pox
is practically extinct. Ireland was formerly
one of the most terribly afflicted countries
of Europe, with smallpox. The results of
general vaccination are such that in the last
quarterly Report Of the Registrar General,
dated January, 1894, it is stated:
"No deaths from small pox have been
registered in Ireland since 1891"
In the late Franco. Prussian war small
pox prevailed to an alarming extent, and
both armies were fully exposed to the con
tagion but the German mortality was only
1858 men, while the French loss was 23,46S,
although the latter army was at no time
more than one half the size of the former"
The explanation is, that in Germany, vac
cination was thoroughly practiced. Every
tod Ntart fIa
In the French army neither vaccination
or revaccination was compulsory, and the
French army was practically unprotected
from smallpox.
Such is the evidence of the protective in
fuence of vaccination which mortality tables
can give. But every positive evidence ex-
lists, in unlimited measure, that persons re-
Gently vaccinated do not take smallpox,
however much exposed to the contagion.
DR.. VIM. Nj. WEIGH, physician in charge
of the Municipal Hospital for Infectious
Diseases at Philadelphia, in recent review
of 5000 recorded cases, writes: During my
service of % years, no resident physician of
the hospital, no nurse, laundress, cook, or
any other employee who was properly re
vaccinated before entering on duty has taken
smallpox, with one possible exception of a
nurse, who had one or two variolous vescles,
but was at no time disabled from performing
her usual duties"
Again he writes: 81 have seen over and
over again, entire families brought into the
hospital, when all unvaccinated children
have been suffering from small pox, and the
vaccinated children unaffected; have seen
the former perish and the latter remain ex-
empt from the disease, although living, eat
ing, and sleeping in the infected atmosphere
for several weeks. But have yet to see
single unvaccinated child escape the disease
under similar circumstances. Furthermore,
| have more than once seen vaccinated in
FAINT draw its daily supply of nourishment
from a mother suffering from vari0loid, and
the infant remain as free from any symp-
toms OF the disease as if the infection were
thousand miles away, and the food received
from more wholesome source All this is
evidence OF the prophylactic power of vac
cination that cannot be shown in mortality
tables"
1t seems like doubling the intelligence Of
the people OF Maryland to present TO them
these proofs of the protective power of vac
cination But the present invasion of our
State is wholly due to neglect of that pro
lection. The long immunity from this dis
ease which we have enjoyed has begotten
disregard of this unrivalled means of safety,
and possibly in some minds, Ignorance of its
land, for the soldiers of the German army,
and for the doctors and nurses of a small.
pox hospital, it will do for the people OF
Maryland.
A genuine vaccination affords complete
protection from smallpox Sc veral years,
often for life, and partial prote ction always
through life. A revaccination renews the
full protection. Vaccination is always II
safe operation, attended with little incon-
yenience, provided it is intelllgently per
formed with all the safeguards which science
has thrown about it, 1t is a more effective
means of protection than anything else
known to man.
The State Board of Health most earnestly
enioins upon the people of the State to be
vaccinnated; and if any have not been vac
cinated within the past seven years, to be
revaccnnated.
1t would exhort parents and all who have
charge of children and minors, to have them
vaccinated.
The State Board of Health urgently ad-
yises all Boards of School Commiss oners to
enforce the statute relating to the vaccina
ton OF the pupils of the public sch ools.
1t would most strenuously urge pom town
authorities everywhere in this State to pro
vide for the free vaccination of their people,
at this time when the pestilence is invading
our DOTueTs from eNtly Sluei anu Whcu tilc
danger is aggravated by the multitude of ir-
responsible, homeless, wandering tramps,
who are traversing our towns and cities, in
such form as to be most effective carriers Of
this dread disease.
1t specially calls upon all the County
Health Officers, the Town Health Officers,
and the Health Officials Of the Incorporated
Towns and Cities to exert their influence
wherever it can be effective, TO secure at
once general vaccination and revaccina-
ton of all the Inhabitants who may be in
need of it, within their respective jurisdic
tons.
And finally the State Board most respect
fully and earnestly invokes the aid of that
great motor of public sentiment and opinion,
the daily press, to exert It's powerf ul influ
ence in impressing upon the people the i'm
portance Of promptly adopting this measure
of defense against an impending danger
Every individual who has not been vaccin
ated is now, during the prevalence Of this
disease, in imminent peril. Every one no
has been recently successfully vaccnated is
safe from the contagon Of small pox.
To be vaccinated is u duty one owes 10
himself and to the community in which he
lives.
BY order of the State Board Of Health