West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-04-04
HOW TO PREVENT SMALLPOX.
DR.. 7. r. Lanlfam, Member State Board
or Health, Gives Some Valuable
Pointers ON this Important Matter.

eH Oy eploemicS OF smallpox
Some OF these epidemics are mild
and innocent as the one now going
on in this country seems to be,
while others are malignant and
deadly. During the time the disease
is present in each community the
question of vaccination IS discu ssed
pro and con by the people, the
educated and uneducated alike have
their opinions on the subject firmly
fixed.
In 1868 Jenner discovered the
efficacy of vaccination in smallpox
and since that time all the different
schools of medicine without one
exception / think, have taught in
their colleges that vaccination did
more than cure: il absolutely pre-
vented the person taking advantage
OF it from having smallpox at all.
1t stood the test 1873 years and after
that length of time not an intelli-
gent physician in the world doubts
Its efficacy. Now, since il is a fact
that the medical profession is trust
ed and believed by the public on
all subjects pertaining to sickness
and health, the wonder to me is
why they are not trusted and be-
iieved when they all recommend
vaccination. l will remark here
that we do not know what vaccina-
ton takes away from physical
organization, but there must be
something removed which is not
essential to life for we live as free
from pain or disease after yaccina-
ton as we did before. 1t opper-
ates, however, in the same way as
the first attack of measles by giving
immunity to the patient from
second attack and that is all that is
necessary for us 10 know. There
are two objections offered ny the
public to vaccination.
The first is that there is danger
of losing the arm by the wound be-
coming so aggravated that amputa-
ton of the member is necessary:
or, that the arm if not lost, will
more greatly endanger life than
smallpox itself.
The second is that the poison Of
constitutional diseases such as syph
ills, consumption or scrofula is
inserted into the blood and that the
unfortunate individual is either
killed in this way, or goes through
his life annoyed periodically by the
development of one or the other
of these diseases as the case may
be, requiring costly and prompt
remedies to save life or to say the
least, check its progress.
The first objection has so little
truth in it that it deserves only a
passing notice.
1t is true however that the place
irritated for the introduction of the
vaccine matter does sometimes be-
come painful and attended with
considerable swelling, but l have
seen but one case in which there
was present anything like alarming
constitutional disturbance and that
case yielded quite readily when the
arm was treated with simple rene.
dies such as applications Of hot
water, etc. My opinion is that
nearly all the pain and swelling can
be avoided if the vaccination is
done anticeptically and proper care
taken of the wound when il is made.
This should be done by wearing
perfectly clean undertaking to
avoid septic poison from dirt, and
to protect the wound with plaster
or shield to avoid friction. If a
piece of adhesive plaster is placed
over the wound l think it a better
protection from dirt than the shield
and is equally as good to prevent
friction.
Now lei us look at the second
objection. If bovine virus is used.
and it is the only kind now used by
the profession, syphilitic poison
could not be introduced into the
system by vaccination because the
COW kind is not susceptible to a
syphilitic poison; but COWS on very
few occasions have been known to
die with consumption, so the author
ity says; but my observation would
teach me that consumption among
cattle in this country would be hard
to find. If ! was compelled to
transmit consumption TO man and
had the herds Of the United States
from which to draw, and no other
source of contagion, would con.
slider my task extremely hard and
one in which I would most likely
fail.
So you see that danger from vac
cinatIon IS so remote fhaf we can