Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1912-12-17
POSSIBLE TO PUT AN
end TO SMALLPOX
General Vaccination. Would
Entirely Eliminate 1t

unnecessary ulSSdseS, may We SaSAAS
eradicated from Georgia as well as
any other state, says the Georgia
State Board of Health, by the simple
process of vaccination; but to accom-
plish this result vaccination must be
general, thorough aid complete.
Unfortunately statistics as to small
pox in Georgia are lacking; they are
kept only by one or two OF the larger
cities. But in 1910, thirty-six states
reported 30,352 cases with 4l5 deaths,
showing a marked increase over the
preceding year both in number and
death rate. Taking the states around
Georgia, Florida with 1886 cases and
II deaths, showed marked increase;
Tennessee's report of 2,199 cases was
incomplete; North Carolina reported
4,2S1 cases, while there were no re-
ports from South Carolina, Alabama
or Georgia.
Prevalence of smallpox in Georgia
Is not questioned; little is said of it
except when 1t becomes epidemic or
semi epidemic in a particular locality;
then a vaccination crusade is started,
but often too late to protect many OF
the victims.
Smallpox is one of the Oldest of
epidemic diseases. There are refer
ences to it dating back 1000 years
before the Christian era. In Europe,
in the middle ages, its death roll
would run as high as 100000 in a SIN
gle year. 1t was brought to America
early in the seventeenth century, and
has been more or less prevalent here
ever since.
Smallpox is considered unquestion-
ably a germ disease, but the germ Is
Une about which scientists as yet
ALow nothing. What tney do know,
however, ley ond ali question, is how
70 prevent ii. Nearly everyone ex-
po.eu 10 1t VINO is hot proIecled Ny
,.UN4nauon or VINO has not mad the
u.sease at some previous time, VIII
Contact II. IL may DC botleA Ny IA
49, contact, sucn as 5naAlng nhnus
WIN one WAC Has IL, or inuIIUcIIy Ny
sAeepang III a lea Wnlcn mas ueen Oc-
U4p.eu W "a sA4ail-poX patent. There
10 easou 10 LeiIete even more remote
cVnlas4On may lane pace. hNely
case OF it comes from some other
case, either aIrectly or Indirectly.
Ten days, two WeeAs or even
longer Tine may pass Defoie the
BY Aptoms deVe.upe men comes
severe chill 1olIoM ed by lapluIy dis
ing fever anu severe acnIng pants Al
the back, Jolnls or head. After a
couple OF days of fever, rash appears
usually first on The forehead, anu the
fever SUBSIDIES. Inc rasn, at trst
PINK or reddish splotches, smooth anu
hat, developes in a few hours mo
little had rounded bumps under the
skin. These spread over the entire
body, deyeloping DllsteIs as they
grow. The patient again deYelopes
fever and the Busters, tIled tlrst with
clear fluid, become filled with cor
ruption. The patient presents a hor'
rible picture. The skin is covered
with a mass of pus, the eyes are clos
ed by the swelling and the diseased
flesh gives forth horrible odor. AT
eter about twelve days the eruption
begins to heal, the blisters dry up and
finally the skin is covered with flne
scales from the top of the eruption
which are believed to contain the con-
tagion of the disease. The patent Is
contagious until all the pustules have
dried up and scaled off and the skin
over them is smooth Sometimes
great pits are left in the skin which
disfgures the patent for life.
The disease in the United states,
of late years, has been of the milder
type, said by some to be due to the
less virulent strain of the infection.
Notwithstanding this there have been
severe outbreaks at various points In
the United States with an eXces-
sively large mortality. There is no
guarantee that the next outbreak In
Georgia may not be Of the severer
type, exacting heavy death toll.
But mild or not, no one wants
smallpox: no one wants ii around
him. An absolute and certain meth
cd of prevention has been known for
more than century. In 1910 Edward
Jenner, an English physician. heard a
dairymaid say. 81 cannot take that
disease because I have had the cow
poxr Impressed by this statement
ing the problem. announcing his s.
covery in 1898. He inoculated boy
with cowpox Six weeks later he in
oculated him with virulent smallpox
virus. and no i'll effects followed; all
though frequently inoculated thereaf.
ter, the boy never took the disease.
Just in proportion as the practice of
waco nation spread after that date,
the scourge of smallpox diminished.
1t was the virus from the COW that
protected the boy; it is the same vi
rus made under approved sanitary
conditions that protects those who
are vaccinated today.
That, briefly, is how vaccination
came about: time and tests have
proven its effectiveness and value be-
yond all question. In Germany where |
every person must be Vaccinated. |
smallpox has practically disappear
ed. In the same manner smallpox |
could be made to disappear from |
Georgia, or from the United States
within three weeks, never to return |
except in imported cases which need !
not be uuarantined as no one could |
contract the disease from them.
Every child should he vaccinated |
as soon as possible after about the |
third month of life, or sooner after
birth. If smallpox is prevailing in the
neghborhood At seven years vacci.
nation should be repeated and then
revaccination should be practced !
about once in seven years. II the |
first two are successful. the subse
uuent takes" will be mild or the vi.
rus will not take at all
Communities states, countries
which have nracticed This svetem
have effectively Grad Gated small box
end 50 Georgia might rid herself OF
the disease for all time.