Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-23
URGES Use OF VACCINE
TO PREVENT TYPHOID
Health Commissioner of BaIti-
more Says Method Insures
Immunity for Three Years.

BALTIMORE, August ga circular
urging the use of anti-typhoid virus was
mailed yesterday to every physician in
Baltimore by Health Commissioner Cor
ter. He says that within a few years
about 10000 enlisted men in the British,
Japanese and United States armies and
navies have been injected with this vac
cine with no untoward results and with
the reduction of typhoid morbidity more
than 95 per cent"
DR.. G0rter recommends that ..all MEN,
bers of a household In which there is a
case of typhoid fever (save those who
have had typhoid fever within the past
five years. be urged to submit to i'm
munization in order to protect the other
members of the family not only from the
case within the household but also from
the primary source of Infection
Text of the Circular.
The circular is as follows:
"The results obtained by the use of this
vaccine in reducing the usual number of
cases Of typhoid fever in armies and
navies of various countries have been
published broadcast and with these all
physicians are acquainted We wish to
remind you, however, that within a few
years about 10000 enlisted men in the
British, Japanese and United States
armies and navies have been injected
with this vaccine with no untoward re-
suits and with the reduction of typhoid
morbidity more than So per cent
This vaccine Is now being used as q
preventive in many large cities, and it is
a common practice among physicians to
immuniZe members of families in whose
household case of typhoid fever ex-
lists. Since early in 1912 the department
of health has been distributing free anti
typhoid vaccine to any citizen. provided
the application is made through the fam
lily physician, because it must be admin
istered by him. Thus far about 1900 in
dividuals have been immunized in Balti-
more, who have suffered no harm there
from and now are immuniZed against the
fever for a period. of not less than three
years. The vaccine can be safely admin
istered to all healthy individuals. Chill
dren particularly stand the vaccine very
well. We see no reason why this vaccine
should not be used as extensively and as
freely as the preventive vaccine for small
pOX.
As Precautionary Measure.
1T is recommended that all members OF
household in which there is case of
typhoid fever Save those who have had
typhoid fever within the past five years.
be urged to submit to immunization in
order to protect the other members of the
family not only from the case within the
household but also from the primary
source of infection. If it should happen
that one Of household is already in the
incubation period of typhoid fever, the in
lection will do no harm, and. according
to the small number of such cases re-
ported in the literature. the opinion is
held that such innoculations tend to
shorten the duration Of the disease and to
prevent the more distressing symptoms.
Persons who are especially exposed to
typhoid fever in institutions, or who in
tend to travel or change their residence
during the summer, should also be urged
by you to submit to anti-typhoid vaccina-
ton. Travellers and summer residents of
country districts are exposed to a num-
Der of different supplies Of water and
milk-the source of which they know
nothing-whch multiplies the chances of
infection and frequently they return
home with vacation typhoid
Results in Memphis.
"The value Of anti-typhoid vaccine as
a prophylactic in avoiding and con-
trolling epidemics you are already ac-
quainted with. and I merely call your
attention to its successful use in Maid
stone. England; Dublin, Ireland; Cedar
Rapids, Iowa, and Memphis, Tenn. In
the latter city 10000 inhabitants. includ-
ing SIT children between the ages of one
and five years were immunized during
the floods of 1912, after typhoid fever
had made it's appearance, thereby pre-
venting what threatened to be wide
spread epidemic Of fever.
1T is to be hoped that the profession
will aid the health department In i'm
munizing as many of the citizens of
Baltimore as is possible. The vaccine
is furnished free of cost. but must be
administered by the family physician,
who can obtain the vaccine by signing
the proper application blank furnished
by the subdepartment of health. 1t can
be obtained at the city hall annex, 1
Gay street, above Lexington, between 8
and O'Clock every day except Saturday,
when the hours are between am. and l
pm. It the physician cannot himself
visit the department to obtain the vac
cine, he can get blank at any of the
culture stations throughout the city,
which. when properly filled out, may be
brought to this department by any mes