The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-02-16

once believed In witches, the evil eye, and other
equally foolish superstitions and physical here
sizes. The Vermont is stationed at Guantanamo,
in the very heart of the fever district. The
process OF incubation lie as we'll established
as the deptheria anti-toxia, Armies on duty
In tropical countries which before filled the
hospitals with fever patients who died like
viSor. Yet, for some fear Of the lancet some
suspicion OF the hypodermic syringe such as
that held by ssvagss for the kodak, two hun
bred intelligent blue-jackets prefer ignominy
In irons to protection against disease.
This is bad enough in the navy, but what
shall be said of prejudice among u whole
people sufficiently strong to cause the medical
authorities, the health officials, to throw up
their hands In despair. Yet that is exactly
what, 1t is understood. is happening In No. tn
smallpox has been sporadic in the rural dis
tricts in the South and in the negro quarters
Of Southern cities generally. According to the
intelligence OF the afflicted, 1t has been called,
either "chickenpox." or dat ar mess" And
for years the battle for universal vaccination
has been waged ranging from those excited
periods when vaccination became both free
and compulsory, TO general shuddering accept
ance In the face of the danger by a people
who wished to run the risk, and dared not But
in North Carolina. the opposition finally be-
came so extreme that the health authorities
quit They said to the people, in substance.
eff you won't be vaccinated, we can't make
you be. Go to 1t. Here Is the smallpox. Catch
1t. Take you fill OF it. We wash our hands
of the whole matter"
Quarantine for smallpox was, accordingly
discontinued. Citizens OF color very much
specked became common sights on the streets,
Sambo taken "wid de mess" rubbed axle
grease on the sores, shouldered his axe, and
went forth In search of an honest livlhood.
Famous cooks took ailing" and speedily de-
veleped suspicious Irregularities of counten-
ance The Health Department raised not Il
finger, Beyond requiring children to be vac
cinated as a condition precedent to attendance
at school, North Carolina turned smallpox
selves
The result has been both curious and en-
couraging. Without the comfort ting assurance
that somebody was watching over their safety,
the better classes became aroused to the dan.
ger Doctors commenced to do a thriving
trade. Roosevetian fathers arranged whole.
sale prices for family operations. Eebutantes
on the eve OF important dances wrinked lovely
brows over the quandary Of locality. Every.
body commenced to talk vaccination, to swap
experiences. to pirate OF symptoms, signs. and
progress. What before it had been impossible
to force became the universal rule so soon
as effort to force 1t relaxed
The Carolina method Is surely strenuous.
but it has a cerain virtue of originality. Had
the Vermont attempted TO enter the fever zone
without offering typhoid incubation. the mu.
tiny might have, happened because a proven
ton which now causes rebellion was not pro-
vided. Human nature remains, along with
women, sewing machines. and typewriters (me-
chanical and animaD. the wonder and the mar.
vel OF speculation. That 1t gets anywhere Is
not half so strange as the direction it is apt
to take in the process OF arriving.