The sun., 1901-04-16

well understood. So far as the pre-
yalence of the disease in Sussex county
goes, it seems to be on the decrease,
and among the cases reported only
very few have been at all serious, and
SO far, if we are rightly Informed, no J
deaths have occurred. The report from
Seaford, to April g. 65 cases had been
reported since March 16, and 26 case
under observation and treatment, som' 1
of tlem fully convalescent but held under |
observation. There have been reports
: of cases of smallpox at three other !
points in Sussex county but they have
not been authenticated. There appears
to be no serious number of cases ex-
cept at Seaford, and there, as we have
said, and despite the contrary report
made by the Secretary of the Mary
land State Board of Health, the disease
| is under control with no serious fears of
4 it's further spread.
The preventative of smallpox is III vac
\
that vaccination does not entirely pre-
vent the disease, it proves that it miti-
gates the severity of the disease when
contracted by the vaccnated person. 1t
also decreases the liability of contract
ing the disease. These facts have been
brought out in the discussion started by
the Observation-Disclosures, and relate TO
an epidemic of the disease at Chicago.
The following is summary of the re-
port of the Chicago health department
for the five months of the epidemic:
Out OF the total III cases of smallpox
found in Chicago between Nov. 30, 1900,
and April 10, 1901--the period of the
present epidemic-140 had never been
vaccinated.
or the remaining 81 eases, 80 were
: adults showing faint, poor, or irregular
4 scars claimed to be evidence of attempt
f, ed vaccination i'll infancy or early child
hood-the most recent being % years
' old.
. Only two out Of the Ill cases cx
/, hibtcd typical sears of successful vac
=, cination. OF these one was 35 years ol,
| --'Narclllatpl WHtn tllllut It-NdNil't
" tion attemptel three wears ago, withou
.esult; vaccine lymph probably inert
The other was 40 years old, also sue
:, cessfully vaccinated in childhood, bn
acver rc-vaccinatcd.
H. These are the only two cases ont .
he total III upon whom vaccination
was ever successfully attempted. and til
most recent of these was more thai
hirty years ago.
u 1t is also reported in this relation tina
" since vaccination was made compulsor
an Tor pupils Of the public schools small
~ nox has vanished from them, and frol
ah 1867 to 1881 there We're only II case
y exported all told. For twenty years tn
y schools were practically immune. Tn
y compulsory vaccination of the police {
Ie' Chicago produced similar results. III
so ,olicc who 20 everywhere and anon
III III sorts of people. have been entirel
ch rec from disease.
ip These reported facts seem to ind
'a' ate very plainly that smallpox is
aS Iisease easily banished. Another thi
ne tlat the neth.a = treatins ~; ",
ie! .ogue is now so tSnerally sucCessf
w. hat smallpox is no longer regarded as
O dangerous disease.
ol The effort, therefore. ought to be
q tlay the fright about it which
foI doubtless due to ignorance, and if pc
I'D. ibc to avoid needless and costly int
zee "uptiun of business, not to say unncct
tal AIRY AMI costly methods of preventi
wh lie spread of the disease. Vaccination
uth it once the preventative and cure
inc ,malpox.