Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-01-08
VACCINATION DISCUSSED.
Meeting Of The State Board Of Health This
Morning,
Or. Beatty OF salt Lake, DIR. wilcox OF
Nepbi, and DIR. Pike OF Provo
Give Their Opinions.

The meeting of the State Board OF
Health, called TO meet at DR.. T. b.
Beattys Office this morning, was not
attended by a quorum, 50 that formal
action was not taken on any of the
matters before the body Those pres
ent were DR.. Beattie, DR.. Wilcox of
Nephi, and Dr. w. h. Pike Of Provo.
Communications from health officers
al various points were read, and the
opinion seemed 10 be that at Eureka
the situation was serious, as so many
have been exposed there. However
strict quarantine regulations are being
enforced
All three Of the officers present spoke
formally on the subject Of vaccination,
and all strongly endorsed IL.
Or. Pike said that he believed in
compulsory vaccination, He believed
in ii personally. because he and his
family were entitled 10 protection.
There could be, in his judgment, no
question as to the efficiency. The ef-
feet of the opposition 10 II was being
felt all over the State and II made the
work Of the health officers difficult to
perform. The cases Of smallpox that
had developed in Utah were, II was
true, Of very mild form and there was
no occasion for alarm. but there was
occasion for the people to have a clear,
common sense idea OF the situation.
They should know, for instance, that II
the disease continued, 1t was sure to
develop into a malignant, cOnfuant
form, They should know, too that
vaccination today was very different
IN nh . &c
ago. when humanized virus was used.
Now all physicians used an asceptic
vaccine, that had been bacteriologically
tested. The young heifers used were
first tested by surgeons and tested for
tuberculosis, and unless entirely pure.
were rejected The vaccine was mixed
with glycerne and was very different
from the old time vaccine.
DR.. Wilcox. Of Nephi, expressed him
self as strongly in favor Of vaccination,
although he did not approve OF the COM
pulsory vaccination Of school children
as always necessary. The result of all
medical operation was that where
smallpox prevailed at first in a mild
form, it was sure 10 become malignant,
unless checked and stamped out. The
arguments formerly made against vac.
cination, that II introduced impurities,
etc, into the system. did not apply at
all TO vaccine as used today.
DR.. Beatty said that vaccination was
the only effective preventive Of he
spread Of smallpox where il once broke
out Quarantine regulations alone
could not destroy II, vaccination would
protect, even II the infectious material
had found lodgment in the system.
In present cases, II was an actual pre-
Yentive, and in cases where vaccination
had taken place considerable time
previous, its effect was to modify the
disease. II could be most positively
stated that no harm could follow vac
cination, II properly performed. The
lymph now used was as pure as human
skill and science could make IT, Some
people had an idea that II was impure
stuff, and called II putrid, etc. As a
matter Of fact, II was no more impure
or obnoxious than the Juice from q
beefsteak, II was certain that the fail
ure TO Vaccinate on the part Of people
living in countries where the disease
was prevalent had been responsible for
a vast number OF unnecessary eases.
Vaccination, said DR.. Beatty, should
not, In his opinion, be relied upon where
IL had been performed more than five
years ago. 1t was a good rule TO be
vaccinated every time the smallpox
appeared.
AS 70 the efficiency OF the process
DR.. Beatty again called attention to
the fact that owing to the prevalence
OF smallpox In Porto Rico, all the sol
diers, TO the number Of so 900 had been
vaccinated, without a single death re-
sulting.
AT this point DR.. Pike cited the case
OF Germany, where compulsory vaccin.
alton had been followed for many years
until now smallpox was almost I'M
known there. and the army was en-
tirely free from IL.
The doctors all agreed that vaccina-
ton and a change Of public sentiment.
which was unaccountably hostile to the
efforts OF the health officers. were neces-
sary.