The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-12-13
THEY DISAGREE.
Physicians Not Agreed Whether
Smallpox In Mild Form
Exists Here.

According to a decision of the city
board of health, all Topeka. people who
have not been vaccinated within the
past five years must be vaccinated dur
ing the next ten days.
This decision is the result of the cpl
demic of sO-called Cuban chickenpox'
in this city. The health authorities
some time ago declared the disease to
be an aggravated form of chickenpOX,
and still maintain their position al
though many experienced physicians
in Topeka state that the disease is
smallpox in mild form. As an ex-
PLANTATION of the reasons for wishing a
general vaccination they state that
they are afraid a true case of smallpox
might creep into Topeka in some way
and be confused with the prevailing
disease.
The decision of the board of health.
together with the ordinance on which
their action is based, IS Incorporated IN
a statement issued by City Physician
Peers. It is as follows:
AT a meeting of the board of health
It was decided to order all persons who
have not been successfully vaccinated
within five years to be vaccinated with
in the next ten days Ordinance 1927,
sections 10 and II reads as follows:
Section 10. 1t shall be the duty of all
persons residing in the city of Topeka,
who have not already been effectively
Vaccinated for smallpox to be so effec-
lively Vaccinated, and it shall be the
duty of all parents or other persons in
charge of children over 8 years of age
to have them effectively Vaccinated. 1t
shall be the duty Of the board of health
to make such rules governing such vac
cinatiOn as may be necessary, subject
10 the approval Of the mayor and city
council, and 1t shall be the DUTY OF the
city physician to Vaccinate at the eX-
pense of the city, all persons who are
unable to pay for the same, and in ad-
ditiOn such persons as may be designa-
ted by the mayor and council, at a cost
of not more than % cents for such per-
SO1S so Vacclnated-
Section 11.Any person who shall vio-
late of the provisions OF this OT0l-
nance shall be guilty of a public offense
against the ordinances of the city of
Topeka, and upon conviction thereof
before the police judge of the city of
Topeka, shall be fined not less than So
nor more than $50
THE city physician will arrange to
vaecinate the school children, that have
not been Vaccinated by their family
physician, at the school buildings and
notice of time and place VIII be given.
Children who are unable to pay Tor
the vaccination viii be vaccinated at
the charge of the city. Others will be
charged twenty five cents.
Smallpox is most frequently cOnfus-
ed with chickenpOX and this precau-
tiOnary measure is taken to prevent the
spread of smallpox should it get into
Topeka and be mistaken for the pre-
vailing epidemic.
BY order of the Board of Health.
IT w. PEERS, Secretary"
The penalty prescribed by the Ordi-
nance constitutes, of course, the only
healthS order.
The disease has now existed in To-
months, and during the past several
weeks there have been from fifty to
one hundred or more cases continually
Much paper has been wasted in card
ing houses, and up to q short time ago,
when several guards were employed,
the cards formed the only quarantine
measure. Physicians who have been
visiting cases of the disease have gone
] her houses wearing the
: clothes, and without taking any pre-
caution whatever against carrying con-
( tagiOn.
If the disease is smallpox the quaran-
tine regulations maintained are not now
and never have been sufficient In
smallpox epidemics it is not customary
for physicians to visit cases of theodis-
ease prior to visiting other patients
without taking extra precaution to pre-
vent the spread of cOntagiOn- In fact,
it is usual for one or more physi-
clans as the number of cases may de-
mand, to handle the disease exclusively,
failing to wait on other patients While
/ the epidemic lasts If the disease in
/ Topeka is smallpox this is the way it
} should be handled here.
If it is the place of the city physician
Z to look after the cases then he should
be denied the privilege of visiting at
homes where the disease does not ex-
list. It is only reasonable to suppose
that the clothes and hair of physician
make just as good contagion carriers
side of the profession.
City Physician Peers stated several
days ago that if he was compelled to
classify the disease with either small
pOx or chickenpOx, he would classify it
I with the former. At the same time he
/ stated that it did not conform with the
| disease as described in the medical
/ authorities.
Some of the homeopathic physicians
! of Topeka do not believe in vaccination
( as a preventative of smallpox, and 9TH
! 1fafi hfe
number is DR.. Eva Harding, who de-
clares she will do all in her power to
prevent the enforcement of the order
of the city board of health
I think it is sinful to Vaccinate lit
tie children said DR.. Harding today
. Il know absolutely that in nine-tenthS
( of the cases vaccination is not a pre-
, VentiVe, and on the other hand it is
liable to leave persons with serious skin
diseases. I have seen any number of
cases of skin diseases result from vac
The great majority of physicians,
! however, advocate vaccination.
/ One of the most able and most re-
/ SpeCted physicians of Topeka who has
/ had large experience with smallpox
/ cases. who has cared for hundreds of
/ patients with the disease and who has
4 been through a half dozen smallpox
epidemics told State Journal reporter
today that the disease which is prev
alent in this city and over the state
and commonly known as Cuban chick
/ enpOx'' is not smallpox.
I'VE have here contagious disease
/ which resembles smallpox, but it is not
/ that disease. We have had probably
J 20O cases of it and there may be 20
cases in Topeka now. If there have been
| any fatalities at all there have been
/ only one or two and no more than
/ there would have been in scores of 9TH
[ er common diseases If We had had
/ smallpox here with all these numerous
cases of the prevalent maIady we would
/ have been Quarantined against the
world, there would have been numerous
/ fatalities and many very bad cases.
I am not prepared to say just what