The news & observer., 1898-01-30
YOU ARE URGED TO TAKEIT
AN INVASION OF SMALL pOX Is
FEARED.
1T MAY BREAK OUT HERE ANY DAY
Now in Charlotte and Wilmington and Re-
ported Yesterday 10 Be in Monroe
School Children Especially
Ought to be Vaccinated.

Ought to be Vaccinated.
Medical authorities are Of the opinion
that an epidemic of smallpox is about
to sweep over the south. Already it is
in all the Southern States and though
the most strenuous efforts are being
made to stamp it out, it continues to
gradually creep from city to city. AL
ready it is in two cities in the State
Wilmington and Charlotte-and yester-
day it was reported 10 be in a third
Monroe. Though this latter report
could not be verified. still there is grave
danger of the further spread of the
disease over the State.
At last Raleigh has become conscious
Of this fact, and yesterday the authori-
ties took some slight steps toward forti-
flying the city against an invasion of this
most loathSOme and fatal disease.
The City Board of Health has or
dered the superintendent Of health and
the city physicians to procure sup
ply of vaccine virus and vaccinate, free
of charge. all the people Of the city, who
will submit to the operation, and they
are all urged to submit to it, both
for their own safety and that of their
friends. The Importance of the imme
date vaccination of school children is
especially urged.
The b0ard met at noon in the Mayor
office. Following members were pres
ent: DR. james Mckee. superintcnd-
ent; Health Officer II. T. Sale, secreta-
ry; Mayor w. NJ. Russ. Alderman j. c.
Drewry, City Attorney Perrin Busbee,
Alderman j. S. Correll and DIR. X. L.
Battle. The only absent melnber was
DR.. H. A. ROyster.
DR.. Mckee. in calling the board to
order, stated that this was its first meet
ing since July 1st, 1895. and that the
subject of it was to organize and TO
prepare for any invasion of smallpox.
1T is on both sides of us-Gt Char
'otte and Wilmington-an We are direct
y on the railroads between these two
cities. Some years ago, under similar
circumstances l had charge of the vac
.ination here. l divided the town into
districts and put over each Il public vac
cinatOr wnose duty it was to vaccinate
everybody in the district took the
Centennial graded school, and | think
yaccinated at least 80 per cent of the
children. j think, as a general rule. it
would be wise TO compel every child
who attends the public schools to be
vaccinated. 1t would not be a bad
dea to have every child as he enters
she school to be yaccinated. An ordin-
,nce to this effect ought to be passed.
In Germany the child is always vac
,inated soon after birth and at regular
intervals thereafter"
In the present instance DIR. Mckee
thought the city ought to furnish the
virus and the city physicians do the
yaccinating.
Mayor Russ didn't think this a part
# the duty of the city physicians. Be
'ides, he argued, it was hardly neces-
AIRY to have compulsory vaccination.
The disease was dying out, he argued,
n the South and no new cases had de-
Feloped at Charlotte or Wilmington. He
lidn't think compulsory vaccination now
.ecessary. and he was sure it would
lr0use great opposition among the pcO-
de.
Mr.. Drewry thought it well to make
come provision for vaccination, but he
lidn't think it ought to be made an or
finance that children should be vaccinat-
ed before allowing them to enter the
schools.
Sanitary Officer Sale stated that in
Atlanta tho city furnished free the
virus and the city physicians did the
yaccinating free to all who wanted to
Ne vaccinated.
DIR. Mckee stated that the danger in
Raleigh from smallpox had been very
much minimized by the precautions
aiken by other cities, but the people out
side of these cities were not under any
Iealth regulations and the germs can
De conveyed from place to place in thei"
clothing. The disease is n most Ioath-
some one, and very fatal. Therefore,
ihe city ought to make preparations to
light the disease should it come among
rs. For the present the city ought to
furnish free virus, request everybody to
De vaccinated, and that the city physi-
ianS be authorized to vaccinate all who
ire willing to submit to it. He also
suggested that pest house be at once
prepared at some isolated point out
side the city limits
A motion made by Mr.. Drewry was
passed, urging upon the people the inn
pOrtance of vaccination, especially OF
the school children, the city to furnish
free the virus and the physician TO d0
the vaccination.
AS DR.. Lewis has already pointed out
n letter published in this paper, vac
cination is the only preventive of small
pox and the people should avail them
selves of this opportunity. With the DIS
ease all around us, and two great trunk
lines running into this city, with nun
lreds of people from the South passing
through or stopping over here daily the
people of Raleigh are liable to wake UP
any day and find the smallpox III uhelr
district.
Let it be remembered that an ounce
of preventive is worth many poullds Oh
cura x.yho,., es,,,oIl nov &c concerned.