Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-09-17
BOARD or HEALTH
STANDS FOR vAcctNATIoN
Compulsory for Children Before At
tending Public School.

In It's monthly report the state board
OF health devotes o page TO an article
upon smallpox and vaccination 10
which II is stated that most Of the
cities or the state require that a child
must be vaccinated before attending
the public school, and where these is
adopted.
In the eighteenth century IS TO s5
per cent. OF the inhabitants OF Euro
pean countries contracted smallpox at
some period Of their life. The disease
was as common at that time as
measles Is at the present day. Ad-
miral Berkeley In a speech before the
house Of commons in 1904 states: 1T
Is proved that In this United Kingdom
alone $4,000 persons died annually Of
the smallpox. but throughout the
world what Is it, Not a second Is
struck by the hand OF time but a
victim Is sacrificed upon the altar OF
that most horrible OF disorders. the
These facts are not denied by the
opponents OF vaccination and those
who have examined the statistical
records for the years following the
Introduction OF vaccination admit also
that there has been great falling
of in the deaths from smallpox The
opponents OF vaccination, however. ar
que that sanitary improvements are
responsible for this tremendous de-
crease in smallpox deaths. II this is
the case they must explain why i'm
exerted q similar influence on measles,
whooping cough and scarlet fever.
which are diseases similar to smallpox
In their mode OF dissemination II Is
further true that smallpox continues
| to rage outside of those countries
/ where vaccination IL practiced and
improved sanitary conditions have had
little effect In checking the disease.
On OF the arguments OF the anti
vaccinationist Is that other diseases
are transmitted by vaccine virus.
Years ago IL was the practice among
physicians 20 vaccinate by what was
called the arm TO arm method" that
| is. some OF the contents OF q pustuls
of a successful vaccination was intro
duced into the arm OF another. There
Is no doubt that some diseases were
spread in this way and that IL gave
rise to much OF the agitation againsi
vaccination at the present day. NJ
modern physician would for q moment
defend such a dangerous procedure
Now the United States public health
ments doing an interstate business anC
has the power TO revoke their licenses
Immediately. Viru purchased in th'
open market all over the country 4
being repeatedly examined for impuri
ties.
the Hygienic Laboratory, U. s. Publ
Health Service. in a recent bulletil
gives the details OF an extensive in
vestigation OF the subject of tetanu
after vaccination. During the perio'
!, 1918. he finds in the United State
, but Al authenticated cases among 81,
000. 900 vaccinations. and reasons tina
II the virus had been at fault Their
> would have been many more cases
since II Is the custom to make man,
vaccinations from one lot Of virus
During the last thirteen years >the-
has been examined In the Hygieni
, laboratory, specifically for the or
. ganism OF tetanus, virus sufficient 10
the vaccination Of over 100000 per
s0ons and in no instance could the te
tanus germ or its products be fount
; Five hundred eighty-flve thousan
, vaccinations were performed In tn
/. army and navy during this perio
, without a single case OF tetanus fol
: lowing
In the al cases mentioned. tetanu
: deceloped so late as TO indicate infeC
ton, not at the time of vaccination
/, but at a later period. probably b
! | contamination OF the vaccinatio
: wound through lack Of care
We do not fear smallpox as OF
fathers did because we seldom see
: Vaccination and revaccination hay
! driven IL from our midst. II still rags
. in countries not protected by vaccine
: ton and IL the same dread diseas
as IL was before the days of Jenne