The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-02-05
Communicated
SMALL-POX.
SOME MEDICAL FACTS ABOUT IT
A Plea For Vaccination.

Small pox Is an acute Ppeoific con-
tagious febrile disease characterized by
the development Of on eruption which
passes through several we'll marked
stages known 10 all countries, and at
tAcks persons OF oil ages. It has not
vet been determined In what country 1t
originated. IL Is said to have existed
la China many centuries before Christ.
The pssta-magna described By Galen Is
believed 30 have been smallpox The
first accurate description is given by
Rhazes, an Arabian physician, who
lived In the Ninth century. The dis
ease was brought TO America by the
Spaniards in the Sixteenth century
Before the introduction OF vaccination
small pox had become permanent dis
ease, which never entirely ceased In
sny one year and every three or five
years became q great epidemic. 10
non-epidemio years one tenth OF all
deaths were from small pox In epidemic
years one.half Very few escaped
small pox until old age; almost every
one siokened at least once In his life
of this horrible and murderous disease
Countless mortals were MANNED by
loss Of sight; Of newborn children
one third died Of smallpox before their
first year; one.half before their nth
year. Physicians and governments pos
sessed no means against this abomi-
pable evil Men accepted the pest as an
unavoidable fate Is was deemed
matter of course that every one should
have IL. The old song ran, From
small. pox and love few men remain
fee "
This condition OF affairs existed until
Edward Jenner's wonderful discovery
Of vaccination was made public and
practiced by all civilized countries. he
was an English physician. When q
young man he was struck BY the re-
mark Of a young milkmaid. who in
speaking Of smallpox said, Il can not
take that disease, for l have had cow
pox." This was about the year ITO.
After more than twenty years Of study
and investigation, in the year l7sS
Jenner announced to the world that
cow.pox or so called vaccination would
prevent smallpox, thereby forever and
indelibly inscribiug his name high In
the temple Of fame. After a few years
of sharp and vigorous contention his
theory was adopted by the civilized
world. Honois were conferred upon
him by foreign courts, and be was
elected an honorary member Of nearly
ell the learned societies Of Europe.
Parliament voted him. In 1902, grant
. oG el0. 600 and In 1907 second grant
Of e2O 900, and In the year 1858, thirty
five years after his death. public
statue IN his honor was erected In
London. Since the announcement Of
his discovery smallpox has lost most OF
its terror aud dread to the world.
Against ignorance and superstition,
against dullness and prejudice, against
conservatism and unreasOning tradition
the practice of vaccination has spread
over the whole civilized world TO the
vast benefit OF mankind. 1t Is author
izsd. endorsed and practiced In every
country on the globe and has done
more 10 lessen mortality than any
known discovery up to the present time,
Statistics demonstrate the usefulness
and benefit TO the human race Of vacci.
nation. Where IL is properly and gen
orally used the mortality from small
pox has been reduced to o minimum.
Where vaccination is made compulsory
andIIs enforced smallpox can be rooted
ont and Absolutely controlled. The
physioians in every country Of the civ
ilized world advocate and practice vac
cination. The governments Of nearly
all civilized nations favor IL and many
OF them make Ii compulsory. Ii II
compulsory In every standing army ant
navy In the world. In Germany where
we have our most profound thinkers i
lie compulsory to vscoinate every chiiC
before 1t is one year old and again II
its tenth year. This law In German.
was passed In 1874, being the result 9
the small. .pox epidemic Of 1871 with 1t
I43 OOO deaths among 3 population II
which vaccination had been allowed &
die ont. Prior TO 1874 the yearly los
was from IS. 600 to 20. 600. The presen
rate Is less than ll6 psr year. aud thes
cases occur on her borders where ther'
is constant miugliog with the poorl
vacoinated nf other countries Man.
statistics telling 4 similar story can b
given, but IL lie not deemed necessary
In all our large cities vaccination
compulsory before entering the publ
schools. This rule should be enforce
in every county In this State. All o
the standard life insurance ccmpanie
require vaccination before they vii
insure q mans life When PARTIAL
protected community is attacked th
victims selected are the unvaccinatet
All epidemics Of recent years hAv
ocourred in cities and countries wher
vaccination has been neelectsd. Not
withstandink all Of this evidence shel
are in Virgluia today some insellIger