New-York tribune., 1911-12-28
URGES ALL vACC|NATED
LederIe Points to Prevalence OF
Smallpox Elsewhere.
| WOULD TAKE NO CHANCES
Only Fifteen Mild Cases IN
Greater City During the
Present Year.

Smallpox being more than usually prev
alent IN many parts of the United States
Health Commissioner Ledere advised yes
terday all residents Of this city who he'd
not been vaccinated recently to submit 10
IT at once. The Health Commissioner has
followed his own advice in the matter, nav
ing been vaccnated earlier In the week
lie said that during the epidemic in 1907
he was vaccinated nearly every week Tor
a month or more.
With the extensive and intimate rela-
tions which New York City has with all
parts of the United States" said Commits
soner Lederle, "it is practically impossible
to avoid the occasional introduction Of the
disease into the city And with an in
creased prevalence Of the disease such as
now obtains in other parts Of the country
this introduction is extremely liable to oc-
cur"
There have been fifteen cases in the
greater city during the present year FIVE
Of these have only recently developed II
one family in Mospeth, In the Borough oi
Queens. No secondary cases, however. have
arisen in this district
-Four cases have developed in Brooklyn
two within the last ten days. For the
whole year so far there have been five
cases in Manhattan. Nearly all the cases
have been among Italians.
Since January 1, 1911, 103,6i4 persons
have been vacclnated. OF that number a.
$50 took place this month. since the out
break here Ten thousand Of these were in
Brooklyn.
According 20 the report Of tho surgeon
general Of the United states Public Health
and Marine Hospital Service Commissioners
I,ederle said, outbreaks Of considerable size
have been reported from a number Of large
cities in the last two years. Among then
arc Buffalo, which had considerable mum
ber Of cases in May and juno Of the present
year
According 10 the Department Of Health
experience has shown that an epidemic of
smallpox may he expected IN this city about
every ten years Tho beginning of the last
epidemic was in 190l-o2. There were NOR
than 4 thousand cases in 1902. In that
year 555,9S4 persons were vaccinatcd In
Manhattan ana 4O,52i in The Bronx.
There we're fourteen cases of smallpox IN
tho greater city in 1910, five in 1909 and
eight in 1905. The greatest number Of cases
recorded was during an epidemic Of the dis
case in 1915, when there were 3,397.
II IS maintained that the time is ripe foT
another outbreak, and recently the Board OF
Estimate was informed so by the Depart
ment of Health in its request for $4,000
for larger vaccination squad.
Commissioner Ledcrlc says il is easy tc
deal With those persons born and brought
up in the city, for a certificate Of vaccina-
tion has long been required Of school chill
drcn.
The difficulty" said the Health Com
missioner, arises in dealing with adults
coming into the city from other parts OF
the country or from foreign countries where
compulsory vaccination is not enforced"
Deoouso Of the large increase in tiIc
number of smallpox cases in the state re-
Gently the state Department of Health has
undertaken an investigation Of the districts
where it is most marked. II Was said al
tho local department offices yesterday that
one reason for tho spread Of the disease
was I'm the faulty isolation OF cases in 4
number of instances.
Vaccinators Of the department are offer
ing their services TO inmates of lodging
houses in this city At the present time
Those cases which have recently dcvel-
oped in this city. Commissioner Ledcrlc said
we're Of a mild form.