The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-12-20
SPIRITED PLEA
FOR VACCINATION
State Is Threatened With Gen.
eraI Outbreak of Smallpox,
Declares DR.. Beatty.
WIDE PREJUDICE IN UTAH
LEAVES STATE UNPROTECTED
FROM INVASION OF DISEASE.

The monthly bulletin issued by the
state board OF health shows that tho
general health Of Utah for the month OF
November Is much improved in many
cases ana compares very favorably with
the report for the corresponding month
OF last year.
The number Of contagious diseases is
somewhat reduced from the record for
the month OF November, 1881. During
the month Of November Of 1861 there
were 1.15O cases OF measles reported 70
the state board of health. while this year
for the same month there were 81 cases
reported.
smallpox has shown A small increase,
but none OF the cases has proved fatal
During last month there we're 292 deaths
from all causes in the state. Pneumonia
leads the list in the greater number OF
deaths from any one cause out OF IS
cases of pneumonia reported y proved
fatal. The contagious diseases reported
Tor the month are:
Scarlet fever, > cases, , deaths; small
poX. 43 cases; diphtheria, "a cases.
deaths typhoid fever, 3 cases 10 deaths:
whooping cough, 81 cases l death; meas
les, 81 cases. chicken pOx, 152 cases;
pneumonia 90 cases. 81 deaths; tubercu-
losis. - cases, II deaths
On account of the number of smallpox
cases reported 10 the state board of
health this month. DR.. T. p. Beatty. sec
rotary, has issued the following state
ment as supplement 10 the November
bulletin:
Utah enjoys the unique distinction of
having larger proportion of inhabitants
who are unvaccinated and are opposed
to vaccination than any other civilized
state or country Il is therefore practi-
caily unprotected from the invasion OF
smallpox, which has prevailed more or
less extensively every year for the past
nine years, and Will continue to menace
life and health and burden the taxpayer
until the irrational prejudice shall be
overcome. The cause of this unusual sit
uation was the fanatical crusade of the
so-called Observation-Disclosures at the
time Of the first outbreak of SMALLPOX in
the state Had il not been for the un-
fortunate influence which for many
months they cNerted in every way calcu-
lated TO create prejudice against a harm
less and beneflcent measure. there is no
reason 10 doubt that Utah would long
since have been protected from the dis
ease in the same degree as in other
states.
AN additional handicap resulting from
the characterization is law passed at
the time which specifically removes from
the health authorities or others the pow
or to exclude unvaccinated children from
enforce vaccination This law is also
unique existing in no other state. On
the contrary, most states require all
school children to be vaccinated and en-
power boards of health to enforce vacci-
nation when il is deemed necessary for
the protection of public health.
Tie Sittt IS AT IfllS time threatened
with a general outbreak Of smallpox. 1t
is extensively and increasingly prevalent
in Salt Lake and will almost certainly be
communicated TO surrounding localities.
The only means OF prevention is vaccina-
ton. This. II recent. Will surely and
without injury prevent the disease. To
insure protection, reVacCinatlon should be
performed after five years. The many
stories of serious results from vaccina-
ton are almost invariably untrue and
should not be accepted without proof
They are usually based on hearsay and
circulated by those who oppose vacci-
nation.
People are urged 60 consider the sub
lect with unbiased minds, and there can
he no question as 10 their conclusions
They owe this as duty to themselves
their children and the state Health Of
Ulcers and physicians are called upon to
earnestly interest themselves in a cam
paign of instruction i'm order that the
truth as To vaccination may be as wide
" circulated as were the former mis-
statements T. b BEATTY
Secretary