The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-01-30

Idr more rapid, out Jne Prague nnu
visited our shores only once or twice
within living memory; and the small
pox was always present filling our
church yards with corpses; torment
ing with constant fears all whom it had
not yet stricken; leaving on those whose
lives it spared the hideous traces of
its power, turning the baby into a
changeling at which the mother shud-
dered, and making the eyes and cheeks
of the betrothed maiden objects of
horror to the lover.
SO dreadful was the scourge of small
pox in Europe and so ineffective were
all methods of treatment, that the
population was so decimated that it
was considered a plague from which
king and peasant suffered alike, and
fell victims to the destroying power of
its virulence.
The profession of medicine at this
time knew nothing of the real nature of
the disease, except it's contagion and
were powerless to save even themselves.
Before the discovery and introduction
the outlook was gloomy and threaten
ing to the human family. Innoculation
of small pox wrought the first change
in staying the disease and contributed
to the elucidation of Jenner's discovery
of vaccination.
The innoculation Of true smallpox in
to one healthy and not exposed to the
true nature of the disease served a
purpose only in the time of it's discovery
or rather introduction into Europe The
great objection to it's use was the pro-
pagation of the real disease-small-
pox-which made it possible for others
to contract. While those innoculated
were rendered immune from smallpox,
great danger existed in it's transmission
to others. Upon the discovery of vacci-
nation, in 1896, innoculation fell into
disuse and was abolished by England
| in 1S41 as tending to propagate small
| poX.
Evidence of smallpox, as they now
occur modified in their magnitude and
| limited in their area, are just as dan
gerous to the community as in the days
| before Jenner. For this reason vacci-
nation and re-vaccination furnish our
| only method of stamping out the most
pestilential disease which knows no
cline nor race of men.
| Since vaccination does not in any
case prevent smallpox, although mild
in form, and since deaths do result from
smallpox in the vaccinated, sometimes
there have always been and are today
| l am sorry to say, people who oppose
vaccination for no other or better
reason than to differ from the best
medical and sanitary thought of the
century just ended.
Isolated cases are cited by our anti
Vaccinationist friends in proof of their
position, rather than a fair considera-
ton given in a large number of cases
previously vaccinated.
What does the world owe to vaccina.
tion? What does the world owe tC
anything? might ask.
There must be some merit if the
world is better for anything done by
man. Only q few historical figure.
stand out in the worlds history al
having benefited the entire world
There has never beeen a unanimou!
verdict in favor of any one great thing
which benefited the whole round world
Disbelief and doubt will always OBJ
struct beneficent measures. The pro
gress of the human family is the resul
., of aeons in the evolution of though
by means of education.
SO that it is not strange that ou
work as sanitarians is questioned in it
, final purpose in our efforts to proven
disease. Figures, statistics and re
suits have not entirely brought con
viction; even death itself will not pro
t duce the quod erat demonstrandum.
Strange as it may seem, nevertheless
: it is true, that the death of the Son o
Man, on the cross for the world, is no
: yet believed by all men. 1 speaI
reverentially. The doubling "Thomases
; go up and down this old world faunt
ing sneer and insult in the fair fac
, of our goddess Hygeia. Enemies O
I sanitation are not entirely without tn
> ranks of the medical profession. TIL
laity are not the only class wherei
7 we find sanitary obstructionists and tn
! enemies of God and man.
Some doctors, ignorant of some things
q and learned in others, often hold u
: boards of health and health officers, o
, try to. when their influence should b
with them and not against them, in a
6 questions and matters which have 70
q their common end the best interests c
I the community and the health of tn
people.
v The only solution for this phase c
, sanitary work, in my humble opinion
o is education and organization throug
o a long period Of time with unceasin
effort. Education first, and then legisla
. ton, furnish means for final triumph
The arch-king which we have to figh
q in ignorance, and until knowledge an
conviction are once gained the wor
of all of us will meet with strenuou
opposition. But we must not falter nc
n fail. A sacred trust is committed to ou
q care and the conscience we have know
v ing that we have done our duty honestl
and we'll will atone for all arduous an
9 annoying labor.
s 1t has not been my purpose in tn
4 preparation of this paper to burden yo
o with statistics which are always DIR!
T but l might ask your indulgence in
n few quotations to prove to you Wha
V the world owes to vaccination:
z M. Bousquet, in his detail of the ep
!, demic which prevailed in Marseiles /
v 1925, states that the whole populatio
was estimated at 100000 OF these, 80 ,OC
. had been vaccinated, 1000 had had tn
. small poX, 5000 had neither been vacc