Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-29
ADVISES STATE ON HEALTH
Dr.. Wertenbaksr Declares Smallpox a
Preventable Disease.
COURT ~REVERsALs FOR ERRORS OF LAW
supreme justices Establish New Rules
TO Gover AppesIs-Nature study
at varsity summer
school.
fFrnm a stan Correspondent.)

HTom a STAN correspondent
LINCOLN, March 2s.-(special.)-Colonel
c. P. wertenbaker Of the United States
marine hospital service, who has been do
ing special duty in Nebraska, declares In
his report to the governor that smallpox
is a preventable disease, and that IL 1t con-
tinues to exist in a given section, 1t Is be-
cause proper measures have not been
adopted for It suppression or that the work
has not been thoroughly done. The report
was filed in the executive department yes
terday afternoon. but owing to the tenn
porary absence of the governor was not
made public until today. He appends to
his report a set Of direction to be followed
for the isolation Of smallpox cases and
for disinfection, and requests that they
be published by the State Board Of Health.
These directions are given as follows:
IF every case Of smallpox was promptly
located and isolated, all exposed persons
promptly vaccinated and their clothing dis
infected; all infected houses and articles
thoroughly disinfected; and the entire popu-
lace Of places where smallpox prevails were
rendered Immune to the diseases by vac
c~ination, the disease would promptly disap-
pear.
Need for Prompt Action Everywhere.
These measures are described in detail
In the enclosed copy of a publication is
sued by the United States Marine hospital
service or the suppression of smallpox.
copies Of which will be furnished free Of
charge, upon application to the surgeon
general, United States Marine Hospital
service, Washington, d. C. l recommend
that a sufficient supply of this publication
be secured and that all communities in the
state where smallpox is prevailing be sup
piled with them. That a circular letter or
proclamation be issued by the governor or
State Board of Health, calling attention
to the recommendation therein contained,
and urging their adoption. l also recon-
mend that the State Board OF Health arouse
to more activity in impressing upon the
people in the state the necessity for prompt
action in suppressing the first case OF
smallpox in a community, and the urgent
necessity for general vaccination.
Mistaken Ideas of Vaccination.
II have found in this state as elsewhere.
that the opposition is due to the fact that
In many cases excessive inflammation has
followed the process OF vaccination. This
is not due, as a rule, to the vaccine virus.
but to some extraneous matter. The use
OF a pure ripe glycerinized lymph is not
followed by any such unfortunate results.
There is, It is true, a slight Inflammation
surrounding the vaccine vesicle, and there
is usually some slight soreness in the
Vacclnated member, but it is not sufficient
as a rule. to incapacitate one for work, even
though that work be hard manual labor.
III this fact can be thoroughly impressed
upon the people, and they can have ocular
demonstration OF it, opposition to vaccine
tion will largely diminish.
III physicians having a patient with a
typical vaccine vesicle will induce that pa
tient to show it around to his friends In
the same way that one with an infamed
arm shows 1t, l think the results will be
OF great value.
Quarantine in Name Only.
II beg to call attention to the fact that
l have found that the quarantine imposed
upon people detained at their own homes
is a quarantine in name only. AS a rule