The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-04-13
CHANGE PLAN
Of VACCINE
DISTRIBUTION
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH DE-
CIDES THAT THOSE WHO ARE
ABLE TO DO so SHALL PAY
FOR VACCINE.

The State Board of Health an
nounces today that it has made a
modification of its plan for furnishing
vaccine (Pasteur treatment) for pre-
venting rabies in the human. Here
after those persons who are financial
ly able will be expected to pay for
the vaccine. This does not mean, how
ever, that other citizens Of the state
cannot procure the treatment in the
same manner that 1t is now furnish
ed.
The board will continue to order the
treatment as in the past. upon the
request Of physicians, who will guar
antee the price of the vaccine for
those who can pay for 1t. other per-
sons will be furnished with the vac
cine on the same general plan that
6iphtheria antitoxin is furnished to
those patients unable to pay such
charges.
The treatment will still be admins
tered at home by the family physician
or by a physician designated by the
State Board Of Health, as has been
the method for nearly three years.
This modification is to continue only
until such time as the State Board of
Health can manufacture its own vac
cines AS soon as its building in
Jacksonville is finished, the board will
prepare this vaccine in its own labora-
tories and be in position to furnish it
free of any cost to the citizens OF the
state.
1t has been the policy of the State
Board of Health, in its efforts to pre-
vent the occurrence and spread of
communicable diseases, to make posi-
BILE the proper treatment of danger
Gus, infectious diseases where the cost
to the patient would usually be pro-
hibitive, and to advise the public of
the state as to methods to be adopted
under the circumstances. Therefore,
when an exception has been made in
the matter of the treatment of dis
ease, especially when the character
and cost of such treatment made it
hardship upon the physician to pro-
cure it or for the patient to pay the
charges, the board has made an effort
and has usually been successful in ar
ranging for furnishing and paying for
these preventive methods. This has
saved the state many valuable lives
spread Of dangerous communicable
diseases. The costs which accrue
from such methods are included in the
by the citizens in general through the
medium of taxation.
In 1907, and even during the previ-
Gus year. the State Board of Health
was impressed with the fact that
menace to the public health on ac-
count of the increase in occurrences
and number of cases, and this applied
to the United States at large as well
as to Florida This increase was not
alarming, but IL was Of such an ex-
tent as to demand consideration from
public health oficials, and It was de-
cided necessary to place within easy
reach Of the public a positive preven-
tive Of rabies in the human In No
vember, 1907, the State Board Of
Health announced that 1t had per-
fected a plan whereby the anti-rabic
vaccine, popularity known as the Pas
teur treatment. would be administer
ed. free of cost, at the off1ces of the
board at Jacksonville, to those persons
who were bitten by rabid animals.
This continued until June, 1909,
when an arrangement was made
whereby the anti-rabic vaccine should
be sent by mail each day to physicians
in any part Of the state and admins
tered to the patient at his home. The
first method eliminated sending the
patient TO distant parts OF the United
States to procure the treatment at
great expense, no only for the treat
ment itself, but for transportation and
hotel bills; In some cases the cost Of