Evening journal., 1901-11-08
VACCINATION
IS DEMANDED
Physician Points Out Danger
Confronting City
SCHOOL BOARD SHOULD ACT
Said That Rule Of Board Of Educa-
lion Relative TO Subject Is Not
Being Enforced

The continuance Of smallpox In all
parts of the country is causing consider
able apprehension on the part of the
health authorities OF our city. So far
we have escaped with only two or three
cases, hut our proximity TO Philadelphia
aud other infected points. make every
prccaution necessary. The physicians of
the city are busy yaccinating their pa
tients. and this seems the only practical
way of preventing the disease.
\ prominent physician of the city with
a large practice. expresses the opinion
that II the people would regard the sub
ioct from the standpoint of the mem
hers of his profession, and undergo the
discomfort of vaccination, the city would
be practically immune. To exhibit his
/ faith in the treatment, he exhibited q
beautiful take, and said he had vaccinat-
cd every member of his household, in
Guiding the baby aud the cook. He fur
thcr expressed his views as follows;
"'lhe question of vaccination is one
that concerns all good citizens, for upon
its observance depends the safety Of
i community from contagion with that
most loathsome disease smallpox.
Much has been said and written for
and against the use of vaccine virus, but
regardless of theory. the fact remains
that vaccination does protect. All statis-
tics show an enormous decrease. not only
IN annual death rates from smallpox since
vaccination became common. but also in
absolute number of eases. Wherever cp-
idcmics have started. prompt vaccination
of all individuals has checked the spread
of the disease at once. Such an example
was seen only last winter nj Seaford.
I Del Here smallpox, although in a mild
form. spread rapidly tchieny among un-
vaecinated negroesl. until the State
T Board of Icalths action in compelling
!, general vaccination checked the epidemic.
Il The chief argument against inocula-
ton with vaccine virus has been because
, of unfortunate results from impure virus
q or unclean instruments. As practiced
4 today, vaccination is practically harm
i, less so far as arousing any eXtraneons
!, disease in the vaccinnted person Is con.
u cerned. The virus Is preserved in her
metically sealed packages has been pre-.
u pared from carefully selected cattle, and
n contains no foreign germs There can
IS be no hard aud fast rule controlling the
e length of time for which vaccine pro.
tccts, but in general terms il may ho
said that "a person should be- vacinated
. during infancy. about the age of four
IL teen, and as often afterwards as exposed
i- TO epidemcs of smallpox.
IS "Ihe present tendency for an outbreak
of the disease in our midst is full Ol
warning. Many are careless others scep
teal of the protecting power of vaccina
ton: hut IN the face of an eXperienc,
Il and statistics the latter reason shoult
VI yield to the common welfare Thos,
i- who have been recently vaccinated nnC
r. have taken may feel reasonably saf,
II from contracting smallpox, unless very
n closely in contact with the disease. Ever
then only mild attack could result
Those who have not had a fully develop
ed take in recent years should by al
means try again. An children should bl
primarily vaccinnied. and at least tive
attempts made, If necessary to secure
the result.
In no other way can we hope 10 main
tain In our city minimum number q
smallpox eases. An parts of the Unitel
States are involved in the epidemic ten
q tendency. Some cities. as Philadelphia
have many cases. And no matter how
u closely our Board of Health may ISOLATE
and disinfect. their efforts will be fulfil
a unless the citizens see TO IL that they ar
/ themselves rendered non-susceptible Il
i the poison
d Although a rule OF the Board Of Edu
= cation makes IL compulsory for chill
= dren OF the public schools 10 be vacci
y mated, physicians of the city believ
\, that the order Is being ignored at thi
10 time. Secretary Bartram. Of the board
>. told a reporter for the Evening JOurna
!, This morning that "a copy of the rule 1
"A posted in every schoOlhouse in the city
~, and that as far as he knew. il was be
"a ing complied with. He explained fur
ther that il is the duty of the principal
NJ Of the schools and OF the members q
r. the Health Committee OF the board. Z
81 Gee that the rule is enforced. br
ma whether these officials are giving IN
A. subject any attention he couldn't ga,
II Il is held that for the good of the pul
H. lie health, the School Board shoul
ks take immediate steps looking to Oh
lie enforcement Of the order.
In the parochial schools of the cit
o. the vaccination of the pupils rs M
am compulsory under any rule. but BishO
lis Monaghan says that many of the chi
Id, dren have undergone the Operatio
id since smallpox appeared here.
on Physicians say it is of the utmost in
en- portance that all school children
lly vaccinated Should smallpox brea
in out among them the disease no doul
would affect hundreds and perhal
lly thousands of persons.
ser Poverty cannot be advanced by an
is. one as a reason for not becoming va
ale cinated. City Council having name
10 four vaccine surgeons. who do Il
rs work without charge TO the person al
'ou derg0ing the operation.