Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1906-01-20
Vaccination and Small POx.

The following is published by re-
quest of the Board of Health, OF Ac-
comack:
Vaccination was discovered by Ed
ward Jenner, an English surgeon, IN
1868, who experimental carefully for
thirty years before announcing the
result of his Investigations, which he
did in 1898. Small pox being the
scourge of all Europe this astute OBJ
server noticed milk-maids who suf-
fered from sores on their hands, con-
tracted from cows that had COW poX,
never afterwards contracted small
pox. Though ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
this trining aIlment was sufficient to
plant in this master mind seed that
was destined to grow and revolution
ize past theories of this dread disease.
We are told i'm 1850 he timidly and
under the seal of confidence revealed
his mighty hopes to his bosom friend
Gardner, for the benefit of his fellow
creatures.
This frightful malady had invaded
all Europe until its victims were num-
bered by the hundreds of thousands.
In Kilmarnock, Scotland, we are told
when the doctor pronounced the dis
ease the dreaded small pox, his words
were heard as the sentence of death.
Mothers would press their little ones
to their breast and pray Almighty
God to command the destroying angel
to pass her door. After the lapse OF
one hundred and fifty years one can
have little conception of the real
meaning of a small pox epidemic.
In Berlin from 1888 to 1897 one
twelfth Of all deaths were from small
pox. In France the same ratio pre-
vailed. Three and one-half millions
persisted from it in Mexico III the 10th
century. In 1874 nearly two-thlrds OF
the population were swept away by 1t.
In Scotland 900 out of population
of $4,000 died from small pox. Catlin,
Washington Irving and Prince Maxi
milan tell us of this disease almost an
Initiating tribes of American Indians
one camp being rapidly reduced from
1900 to 80. Among the Blackfeet the
inmates of 1000 tents persisted from
this malady. In the United States,
however, the history is less complete.
In Boston, out OF a population OF
II, 900, 5, $3.50 cases of small poX occurred
in 1921. In 1916 il broke out in the
American army at Cambridge and Dr.
Waterhouse writes there were scarcely
men enough left free from disease to
guard the hospitals. The son of this
physician was the first one TO be vac
cinated in America. Thus column
after column could be written Of its
frightful ravages. Before vaccination
no means availed against it. One ac-
cepted the condition as an unayoida-
bic fate.
Vaccination being introduced gave
results that then appeared astounding.
Ia Sweden the mortality fell from 2,O5C
annually to 15S. In like manner the
mortality in another section fell from
14.046 to 1872. In 1915 and '76 0,0OC
of the inhabitants of East India died
while of the 12O, 900 English troops
stationed there who had been yacci
mated only two died.
introduced in the United States IL
1900, the State of Massachusetts, made
vaccination obligatory III 1910 ant
from that date till 1896 only 81 deaths
occurred from the disease in Boston
| In 1896 this law was repealed and vac
cination made optional and for thu
next u years 533 died in Boston. A
the present day the very success o
vaccination has apparently blinde'
people to its Importance. 1t IS cas-.
to be bold against an absent danger
to despise the antidote while one ha
, no painful experience of the bane. l
there is anything proven in medicin
{ it is that vaccination will proven
? small pox. No authentic case ha
ever occurred of physician or nurs
2 taking it when properly and recent
= vaccinated before treating the disease
This should be done, however, by
= skilled person and not carelessly pei
t formed by any incompetent person
The cases of small pox in AccomPc
e that have come under the notice
: the Board of Health furnish ampl
proof of the value of vaccination. \
n Davis Wharf, Horntown, Chinc'
h league and louisville physicians an
nurses enjoyed entire freedom fro
the disease, though in intimate col
tact with the patients. The Board
). Health has not been able to find
> single case contracted in this couat
/ who had been previously yaccinate
J. while on the other hand it has prove
highly contagious to all unvaccinat'
r persons who came in contact with