The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-06-21

DR.. w. r. Allen, superintendent o.
the bureau of health, in his report fol
the month of May. transmitted yester'
day to Director of Public Safety Worm.
ser, discusses the prevalence Of small.
pox in this city and advises physicians
to be careful to report all cases OF
eruptive disease not clearly defined. He
also recommends that compulsory vac.
cinatlon be carried out in all infected
districts. The full text of the report
follows:
| Scranton, Pa. June 49, 1902
r, l.. Wormser, Director of Public Safety
Dear Sir: I have the honor to present
| the report OF the secretary of the bureau
of health for the month of May, 1902. II
Is gratifying to note the small number
| of contagious diseases reported-32 in all
with but four deaths-two from whoop-
ing cough and two from typhoid fever,
| which should hardly be classed with con-
tagious diseases. There is still smallpox
| In the city of so mild form that in many
instances cases are not reported until
the disease has nearly run It's course and
the whole neighborhood has been in
fected. 1t is not strange that physicians
having no clinical knowledge Of the dis
ease should be uncertain, but 1t would be
better at this time, when mild smallpox
is so prevalent all over this country, that
all eruptivc diseases not clearly defined
should be reported and the opinion of an
expect obtained at once.
1t Is not sufficient to say that because
the disease is mild and there are no
deaths 1t cannot be smallpox and must
be "new disease" 1t would be Just as
reasonable to say that scarlet fever,
which formerly was the most dreaded of
all the exanthematous diseases. on ac-
count Of the great mortality, and which
now Is one of the most benign, is not
scarlet fever because the patients sell
dom die. Types of disease change and it
Is not unreasonable to believe that
through successive generations of sue
cessful vaccination the people have be-
come immunzed so that smallpox can
not take on such violent action. Our
only way of escaping continuance of the
disease will be a rigid enforcement of
vaccination. or all the cases reported,
only four have been vaccinated at all
and they not within fifteen years.
This disease should be stopped right.
now If possible. We have had free vac
cination. but there are so many people
who object to it and for various reasons
have failed to have it done, that the
community is not protected. 7 think all
sections of the city where the disease
exists should be visited by public vac
pei rather, the vaccination of all unpro-
tected people. This, I think, would wind
it up In short order and save the city
great expense.
Very respectfully,
w. e. Allen, NJ. D.,
Superintendent Bureau of Health.
Director of Public Safety Wormser
said yesterday afternoon that he has
not decided whether or not to follow
out the Doctors suggestion regarding
compulsory vaccination. resolution
is pending in councils providing for a
continuance of free vaccination and
until this comes before the director it
is unlikely that he will arrive at def
mite decision.
A serious doubt as to whether COM
pulsory vaccination can be enforced ex-
lists in the minds of some of those who
have given the matter consideration.