Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-08-29
SMALLPOX AND
KINDRED ILLS
G Communicable Diseases under
Discussion at School for Yer.
mont Health Officers.

petition at intervals. IA thing to be lie
termined in the future as the lessons
of experience become clear, just as
we now do in the case of small-po
I'm ant-typhoid vaccination we
have a method for the prevention Of
disease which approaches in efficiency.
If It does not equal. the prevention Of
smallpox by vaccinia.
I'm total number of doses of our
vaccine which have been reported. thanks
to the efficiency of iodine as an anti
septic and the presence of one-fourth
per cent. of tricresol in the vaccine it
self, there have been no skin infections
The statement of three results those OBJ
tanned In the southern manoeuvre divi-
sion, in the whole army in 1911, and In
the first four months of 1912. should con-
vince any one of the high protective
value of this form Of prophylaxis. Ex-
celent results have been obtained in the
past, particularly by tho English In
India.
"a word as to the necessity for this
form Of prophylaxis. 1t is generally adj
mit.od by the opponents and more num-
erous luke-warm adhercnts of anti
typhoid vaccination that It Is essential
for tho army and the militia of the sew
crt states. In times of war and mobilizn-
ton. Has it not. however. field of use
fulncss I'm civil life in this country? It's
usefulness, however. is not limited to
these classes OF persons. The typhoid
death rates for New YORK. I'oston. Chi
caEo and most other large cities in the
North are low, varying from A. in
Bridgeport. Conn. to l7.5 in philadelphia.
and so long as the inhabitants Of these
cities remain at home they run littlo
danger Of contracting the disease. Re-
naming at home. however, is n thing
most of us 90 not do: we send our pa
tients. families and go ourselves. to the
seaside and mountains where the typhoid
rate is five and ten times as high as
at home At home in the cities we de-
pend on pure water, proper disposal of
wastes and the intelligent activities of
energetic municipal health departments.
In going into the country or travein.,
from place to place where tho usual
safeguards are lacking. why not avail
ourselves of this form of individual
prophylaXis which Is efficient in all
places and at all tines"
The discussion was conducted by Or
stone. Or +. Nj. Crane of Hardwick,
Or. Gardner r. Swarts of Rhode Island
and Professor kober
POLLUTED WATER
Another paper of interest to the
health officers was the address of c.
p Moat. chemist Of the state board "
health. who spoke upon Waters of
the State and the Effect of Polluted
Water upon the People" He discussed
the various sources of impurity in the
streams AMI springs of Vermont.
bringing out the danger from typhoid
and othter diseases through the drain
age of surface water into wells and
reservoirs, and mentioning incidental
~ some of the chemical sources Of
harm from manufacturing industries
using the streams for the disposal %
waste products.
At the evening session DIR. Koher
exhibited number of lantern slides
showing principally the various APP
rearanccs of smallpox ana tubercu
losis The illustrated portion of his
lecture was followed by a more thor
ough treatment of communicable dis
eases. with special reference to three
/
State-small-po recently epidemic
in mill form in many parts of Yer
ont tuberculosis, for the eradication
of which an energetic effort has been
under way for several years. and We
! nrreal disease, the objective of the
next great campaign of medical science
| against a scourge of the human race.
lie laid special stress upon the state
ment that. whatever may be the fire.
| quency of the transmission Of tuher-
culoss from animals to the mankin l.
the great danger lies in the communi
cation of the disease from man to man
ny no means is the full number If
cases reported to the state board. said
he, for in one year Il? cases were re
ported, while thte average number or
deaths annually for FIVE years was
t32 He praised the work of Mr.. Pro-
tor in connection with the recommen
dation that the state establish tuber-
culosis lisrensaries,
ain majority of cases said DR.
X ober. 'inc!pient tuberculosis can be
arrested and cured permanently If fav-
orable conditions can he maintained
about the patient. But many cases are
afford TO take the needed precautions
"Perhaps the greatest need IS for
segregation of advanced cases. There is
great danger to the families of such. and
to others on account of indscriminate
expectoration. Many patients are ienor-
ant, and do not realize the danger In
this
Professor kcbcr recommended state
hospital for tuberculosis. Patients
average to stay in "A hospital only about
100 days, so that one bed would serve
three I'm the course of year. and the
speaker estimated that 100 beds would
thus serve for 200 patients, the average
annual number to he expected in this
State. The economic loss To the state
from tuberculosis annually is $4,000 and
the expense of such a hospital would he
very much less than this, it is estimated
THE vcneroal evil" said Professor
Is ober, "wil soon require more atten
ton 1t Is present in all classes of so
ciety Among the poor II is frightfully
prevalent. bu: the majority OF men OF
: upper classes have at some time il
. life had venerea disease This vide
spread occurrence is due largely to thu
? fact that the problem has never beer
made the subject OF popular education
I In the United States army and navy
, where precautionary measures are regu
; larry taken, there has been decided
! decrease in this prevalence.
G "Gonorrhoea." said the speaker 1T
responsible for more bad health and rae
suicide than any other cause" Syphili