The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-09-08
TO END TYPHOID
IN The ARMY
Compulsory Vaccination Order
Has Been Issued.
SERUM A GREAT SUCCESS.
1900 Soldiers to Be Treated-lnocu-
lations VIII Protect Three Years.
Wonderful Results Obtained on
Mexican Border and Elsewhere.

WcNiCGO 6ufOcF anu GlSoWHeTos
Vaccination against typhoid fever
has been made compulsory for every
officer and enlisted man in the United
States army under forty-five years Of
age. The only exceptions allowed by
the war departments order in the mat
ter are those who have had the disease
or who have already been vaccinated.
This action was taken by the secre-
tary Of war on recommendation of
Surgeon General George II. Torney.
The army physicians are enthusiastic
over the efficacy Of the anti-typhoid in
oculation. They point to the splen-
did health record of the maneuver di-
vision at San Antonio, Tex, every
member of which was vaccinated
against the disease, which is regarded
as one Of the greatest scourges of ar
mics. For several months every re-
cruit received into the army has been
inoculated with virus.
Thousands Must Submit.
Estimates compiled at the war de-
pa ohOH uD W the DItStuL
time about 1900 inoculations for ty-
phoid have been made. OF the troops
who were sent to the Mexican frontier
nearly 1900 had been inoculated. The
totaf strength Of the army at present
is 10000, so there will be plenty of
work for the surgeons of the army to
perform before each soldier has under
gone treatment.
The typhoid prophylactic," as it is
called, has, been prepared by Major
Russell of the medical corps, station
ed at the army medical school in
Washington, and 1t viii be distributed
to the various forts and posts through
out the country. 1t is estimated that
In about months time every officer
and man in the army will have been
inoculated.
Feel Little Inoonvenience.
Very little, IL any, Inconvenience as
a result of the inoculation is felt by
the patient, He does not lose single
days duty, nor is he compelled to take
to his bed. He is watched carefully
for period Of twenty days and is
then declared to be immune from the
dread disease. The ''prophylactic" is
injected In the left arm of the patient
in practically the same manner as the
smallpox vaccination process.
The war department is convinced of
the efficacy Of typhoid incubation in
wiping out this disease in the army.
During the Spanish war experiments
were conducted along this line. Two
divisions Of the Seventh army corps,
under command of Major General Fitz-
hugh Lee, were encamped at jackson
vile. The sanitary conditions of the
camps were exactly alike, and water
for the troops was obtained from ar
tesian wells. One division numbered
10,759 men and the other 12,S01 men.
None Of the men or officers in the
small division had been inoculated
with the typhoid vaccine. AS a result
there were 1858 cases Of typhoid in
this smaller division, resulting in 248
deaths. In the larger division ma
joT1ty of the men were inoculated, and,
while there was but one case Of ty-
phoid developed, there was not a sim
gle death.
Will Last Three Years.
One Interesting feature of the treat
ment that has not yet been worked
out is the continuance Of treatment
after the first injection has ceased to
be effective. Surgeon General Torney
and others who have been conducting
experiments have decided that the Sc
rum renders man immune for the
period of three years at least. They
do not know how much longer the an
titoxin retains its power as safe
guard against typhoid According to
present plans, the men who are vac
cinated now will receive another injec-
ton at the end Of three years.
The serum is now being manu-
factured at the army medical school,
under the personal direction Of Major
Russell, who is an expert on the sub
ject of typhoid fever and leader in
the movement to inoculate the army.
The present step has not been taken
without exhaustive investigation both
on the part of Secretary of War Sdm-
son and the officers and physicians
who have been engaged In the expert
ment work. On June last the secre-
tary Of war, deeply impressed with
the effectiveness of the new treatment,
called upon Major Russell to vaccinate
him. No Ill results followed, and at
the end of twenty days the secretary
was pronounced immune.
Famous Scientists Serve.
Though the first experiments were
conducted during the Spanish-Ameri-
can war, results were not positively
accepted until the famous typhoid
board" was created under the admins
trat1On of Surgeon General Reilly.
This board comprised the most famous
scientists and experts in the country.
Those who served were DIR. Flexner,
the New York expert on the disease;
Professor Musser OF the University of
Pennsylvania, DR.. Thayer of Johns
Hopkins university. DIR. Alexander
Lambert Of New York and Professor
Vaughn Of the University OF Michigan.