The Alaska daily empire., 1915-09-24
rYpHoD VACCINATION GAINING FAVOR


 An enormous increase in the number of persons seeking antttyphoid vaccination is reported by tho & Public Health Service Not alone is this increase
 manifested among the benencares Of that organization and government employees but the general public is also awakening to the value of the inoculaton Re ports from physicians throughout the country indicate that many are receiving the preventative treatment and laboratory establishments have had greatly in creased demand for the vaccine So great is the call among employees of the government that it has been necessary to issue second edition of the Secretary of the Treasurys circular stating the localities where Che treatment may be received. It is estimated that dur ing 1914 over 100000 persons throughout the country were immunzed and it is believed that in 1915 the num- Der will exceed 30OOO0 In four counties of North Caro- iina where campaigns are now being conducted. it Is estimated that 10000 people will be immunized
 The public is seldom slow to accept innovation of worth The reduction ot the rate in the army from 5ss per 100000 before the discovery of antiy phoid vaccine to g. since inocuaton was made compu- sory has not passed unnoced. During four months of 1898 there were over 2OOO cases of typhoid among lO 900 soldiers encamped in Florida in 1s11 among 20. 900 men similarly encamped there were but cases If such degree of immunity can be harmlessy conferred upon body of living under adverse conditions and whose age renders them susceptible the conclusion is that protection can just as easily be afforded ordinary citizens
 Antityphoid vaccination is quite simple as that for smallpox and even children do not complain There are no local effects other than slight reckoning at the site Of the injection and sore are entirely lacking In small percentage of cases mild systemic reaction accompanied by headache and slight rise in temperature occurs but if the treatment is given at night the persons rest is undsturbed and he is en- treiy unaware of these symptoms. In the majority of instances however there is not the slightest neonven fence The immunity probably lasts for several years although s duration is than that of smallpox which frequently persists for a lifetime
 It is believed that widespread recognition of Che benefits conferred by autyphoid immunization will have an immediate effect upon the morbidity and nor taity rates for the disease As result of sanitary measures alone the death rate typhoid has been cut in half during the last fifteen what has been done in fifteen years of sanitation can be accomplished in as many weeks with inocuation. It is conceivable if immuuitizetou attans the general recognition that smallpox prevention has secured and there is no reason why such acceptance should not be accorded it. that typhoid win be rare disease by 1ssO This means that even many of the older physicians of today will live to see the time when the infection will longer be com mon
 One point must be considered in making such prognostication As immunity is conferred the neces sity for mmunization becomes less apparent to the general public and the method will certain extent be neglected This is the situation regards smallpox in the country today and for this very the dis ease win persist until universal immunization is prac ticed Therefore. even with perfect methods the en tire elimination of the disease is not to be looked for