Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1900-02-03
WAR ON snALIpOx.

stands personally as sentinel be-
tween the city aud the scourge of
smallpox, has been vaccinated fifty
five times within three years-a
record that probably 10 unique in
medical annals.
DR.. Spalding believes that vacci.
nation holds him immune from the
disease, and he keeps up the supply
of vaccine virus in his system in
order that he may 70 freely to the
places from which smallpox is re-
ported. At times these trips are
made daily and the physician's
confidence in the fortifying in
fluence of vaccination never fails.
Strangely enough not one of the
many vaccination operations which
the Medical Inspector has under.
gone has "taken" since the one per.
formed when he was child. The
resubmitting of his arm to the Ian
Get 80 frequently is done soley that
the preventive may. be present
when the potency of the childhood
vaccination shall be lost.
The above is clipped from the
Chicago Tribune of last Sunday,
and DR.. Spalding 10 one of the moet
noted physicians of that city, and
he has had as much experience
with smallpox. varioloid and vacci-
nation as any man in the United
States.
In view of the fact that nearly
every town and city In the county
has more or less smallpox. il is very
necessary that we should use every
precaution against it. Smallpox
prevails in Galena, Joplin, Colum-
bus. Weir, Pittsburg, Scammon and
Coffeyville, aud is epidemic In
every town in the Cherokee and
other Indian territories as well as
Oklahoma. Wherever IL has oh.
tained there has been some loss of
life and a serious loss in business.
Columbus is deader than ever and
farmers will not go to the other
towns except actual necessaries.
The question is-do we want the
smallpox in Baxter Springs! II not
why not do out utmost TO prevent
il? Up TO this time there has not
been the slightest symptom of the
disease and large majority of our
citizens have been vaccinated so
that the disease cannot spread IL IL
reaches us, but there quite mum.
ber who are opposed to this pre-
ventivr aud refuse TO comply with
the proclamation of the mayor
Some of these have an old-iime
superstition against all modern in
ventions or discoveries and some
are opposed to anything in the
shape of law. while others are
stubborn bullheads. who would
sooner die of a loathsone disease
than comply with what some call
the arbitrary rules Of the mayor.
DIR. Spalding declares that the
day has long passed when there
can be any room for argument as
10 the efficacy of vaccination. He
says that IL man has been ex.
posed and will be vaccinated at
once the vaccination will almost
certainly head of the disease. IT.
how, YER. the disease has become
fastened the vaccination will great
ly moderate it's severity.
Ia not the opinion of this grent
medical authority, who has spent
his life fighting the disease. OF
more value than the traditional
superstitiors of a lot Of old mid
wives who plant their potatoes In
the dark of the moon and look in
Leviticus and Deuteronomy for
arguments TO reverse the decisions
of the supreme Court: Shall we
ignore the great discoveries of the
10Th century and adopt the bigotry
aud fanaticisms of people who
wear rabbits feet. and consult
astrologers and night editors Of the
Kansas City Journal?
II is the duty OF the mayor and
council to be vigilant in this mat
ter and If our citizens refuse 10 be
vacciuated, then they should be
quarantined. This would cost the
city a good deal of money. but any.
thing is better than smallpox. l be-
lieve in vaccination and do no,
credit any of the stories atloat with
regard to death or danger from that
source. There is no auth ntic
record of single death from vac.
cination, and IL pure virus in used
there is not half the danger there ID
from Columbus skim milk or Bax-
ter whiekey.
All those who make frequent
trips TO Coinmbus. Galena and
other infected towns should either
be vaccinated or quarantined. II u
man thinks more of his religion or
superstiiious fancies than he does
of the life of his wife and babies he
should be corraled until all danger
of innoculation is over. We can
not afford to stand idly by aud see
our stores closed and streets vacant.
An ounce of vaccine virus is worth
more than a pound of fanaticism.
Let all good citizens who are not
already immune or too old and
feeble proceed TO the doctors Office
and comply with the ordinance.
If all will do this the business of
our city will increase while other
cities will show a decrease. / in
tend thie as a request and not a
compulsory or arbitrary demand.
c. W. DANIELS,
City Attorney.