Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1906-08-17
(Communicated.)
SMALLPOX.

DEAR SIR:-While on visit to Christ
Church, August fourth, it was my
good fortune to meet DR.. Newbill, the
physician in charge of the pest house
and representative of the local Board
of Health, which is combating the
spread of smallpox in this vicinity.
Having expressed some question as to
the possible doubt in diagnosis, DR..
Newbill asked me to get into his buggy
and visit the cases. This offer l gladly
accepted, and we drove at once to the
two houses of detention.
Whatever doubt may have existed as
to its being true smallpox was dispelled
when we came to a group of five
young colored men standing in front of
the convalescent pest house. Each
was genuinely marked, and in later
years if doubt still exists in the mind
of any as to this having been smallpox,
the scars of these patients will
be ample refutation. My personal
experience with this disease as
seen in the Quarantine Hospital,
of New York Harbor, and contagious
hospitals of New York City, has been
wide to recognize ''the crit
ter" when see him, and had good
view at Christ Church.
Several thoughts suggested them
selves as / contemplated the patients
and their surroundings. First among
them, the blessings of vaccination and
how little it was appreciated by people
at large. The laity have taken much
more kindly to antitoxine to combat
diptheria than they have to the virus
of vaccinia, which is sure preventa-
tive of smallpox. From the earliest
history of vaccination (which discovery
was made in England in the early por-
ton of last century, to this very date
there have been number of people,
otherwise intelligent, who openly wage
war against compulsory vaccination,
and refused to be vaccinated. 1t is to
these 1 should like to apply few
words.
1t is the duty of every mother and
father particularly in this section of
Virginia, since the wolf sits at our
door, to have every living soul belong
ing to them vaccinated. Start with
your youngest baby, and do not put it
off until the age of manhood is reached.
They may not then be under your tender
guidance, and unknowing may have
you to thank for marks of Disagreement
of lifelong duration, or it may occasion
loss of life.
The operation of vaccination is not
more painful than the scratch of a
needle. The after effect is disagreeable
only in so far as an itching sore of ten
days duration tempts one TO scratch,
and ones common sense prevents.
There is no danger in its connection no
matter how youthful or aged the patient
may be. The vaccination of little
baby can be so bound with clean band
age and washed with warm water and
| soap every morning as to both protect
and keep it comfortable. The first
time that vaccination takes" is the
only time the sore is severe enough to
make one think twice about it. Sue
ceeding vaccinations are so trivial that
no thought isgiven them. The immunity
that vaccination gives varies with
different individuals. 1t is supposed
to last seven years. Many physicians
who are apt to come in contact with
cases of smallpox, vaccinate themselves
every three years. Personally / have
been vaccinated over ten times, and
outside the first time it has never
s'taken." When the vaccination does
not take" it does not mean that one
has been improperly vaccinated. II
means that immunity still exists with
in the blood sufficient to ward off small
pox and the disease of vaccinia, if il
can be called by that formidable name
The only exception that might arise t.
this maxim is where vaccine virus tha
is not fresh is used. This point is on,
which your physician provides against
Self-vaccination is better than none
but it is always advisable for one t.
go to ones doctor. The expense en-
tailed during this present period neet
be nothing, as the local Board of Healtl
is prepared and ready to vaccinate an,
and everyone.
1t is unfortunate for the welfare O