The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-03-02

|
GENTLY made the following statement:
"Out of 81 total of III cases of smallpox
found in Chicago between November 80,
1900, and April 10, 1901, 140 had never
| been vaccinated. OF the remaining 81
cases, 20 were adults, showing faint,
poor, or irregular scars, claimed to be
evidence of attempted vaccination in in
fancy or childhood-the most recent be-
ing twenty three years old. Only two out
OF the III cases exhibited scars of sue
cessful vaccination"
vaccination was made compulsory in
the Chicago schools in 1867 From 1867
TO 1881, there were but II cases of small
pox. After 1881 there was not single
case until last winter, when four cases
developed. These children had been
passed on fraudulent certificates, as
neither of them could present a scar
In st. Paul, between May 1, 1899, and
May 10, 1901, there were 104 cases of
small pox. OF these, but two had ever
been vaccinated, one Is and one 20 years
before. DR.. p. M. Hall, of Minneapolis,
treated 191 cases between January and
May 3, 1901. In one only could signs
or vaccination be found. Individual ex-
periences of this character could be
quoted indefinitely
me statement is frequently made that
smallpox has become a much milder dis
ease than it formerly was and that vac
clnation, therefore, is less necessary.
facts certainly do not bear out this
statement. 1t is quite true that during
lhe recent epidemic the death rate has
been extremely low and the illness has
been mild. 1t has, however, not been
| ~ coll
diseases that the prevailing type varies
considerably in different years and small
poX has certainly not shown itself of
late in its most virulent forms. Another
factor must be considered as accounting
! Tor this mildness. 1t is noticeable that
| the term varioloid is now but seldom
used All attacks are called smallpox,
tendency to he commended 1t re-
mains true, however, that a great num-
Der of cases have been reported as small
poX which in the past would have been
| described as varoiloid. In those who
have never been vaccinated. the disease
In most epidemics is almost if not quite
as dangerous as it ever has been. In
the London Smallpox Hospital, between
| l775 and 1900, all patients of course be-
ing unvaccinated the mortality rate was
|
the rate for the previous 16 years was
5000 for the unvaccinated In recent
study of smallpox. WEIGH reports 1,512
cases in unvaccinated persons, with a
| death rate Of over IS per cent In young
! children the rate was much higher than
this Hart gives the death rate of I'M
vaccinated patients as fully 40 per cent
In the Sheffield epidemic of 1887, tho
death rate was 542 per cent In the
Gloucester epidemic it was 22.3 per cent
for all cases, smallpox and varioloid.
The statement sometimes heard that
scarlet fever is as dangerous as small
! poX is unwarranted. After an extensive
study of American and European cases,
| Hot states that the general death rate Of
| scarlet fever is from II per cent to ii
per cent, and from 20 per cent to 80 per
| cent under five years. This is Jess than
half the most favorable rate given for
| smallpox. The sequels Of scarlet fever,
though often grave. are not to be com
| pared with those of smallpox. A hun
| dred years ago two-thirds of the inmates
of the blind asylums lost their sight
| from smallpox. Blindness, deafness, lung
| disease, tendency to tuberculosis, gen.
eral ruin of the constitution, and person
| al Disagreement arc the common results.
| In fact, the ravages of the disease can
not be estimated by the number it kills
| Experience of more than a century has
confirmed and strengthened the teachings
of Jenncr, except upon the single point
of the duration of immunity Some of the
lessons taught by this experience may
be summarized follows:
| /. The first lesson cannot be better
stated than in the words OF the Berlin
Board of Health Vaccination in III
fancy, renewed at the end of childhood.
renders an individual practically as safe
from death from smallpox as il that dis
ease had been survived in childhood, an |
almost as safe from attack"
2 The duration of the immunity con-
| ferred by vaccination is variable. lii
many individuals vaccination in infancy,
and vaccination in childhood is sufficient
for life protection. In a limited number.
immunity is lost in five or six years. 1t
| is never possible to know with certainty
to which class an individual belongs. In
the face of an epidemic, therefore, vac
cination of all who have not been vacci-
| rated within five or six years is giving
what the lawyers call the benefit of rea-
sonable doubt. Every one who has been
| vaccinated in infancy and childhood
should be vaccinated not less than once
in adult life.
3. The immunity conferred by vaccina-
tion is in direct proportion to the thor
oughness with which it is performed, and
this is shown with considerable accuracy
by the character and number of the re-
sulting scars.
4. Vaccination in infancy alone is not
sufficient to wholly prevent smallpox
} among the adult popoulaton
5. Optional vaccination has not proved
sufficient to protect the community from
smallpox. Compulsory vaccination is a
measure warranted by more than cen
fury of experience.
6. The mild compulson enforced in this
country by requiring vaccination or evil
dence of it's recent performance upon ad-
mission to the public schools should have
the hearty support of parents and physi-
clans alike.
VACCINATION STATISTICS.
Some vaccination statistics of English
| critics were given by DR.. Boyd at a re-
cent meeting of the Hunterian Society
; In the term "vaccinated" were included