The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-28
VACCINATION
(State Board of Healthy

SHn ringing in our ears are the cries of hetp faased by a multitude of vuic11 during the recent invasion of mfantilB para1ysis, as well as the ap- peals of anxious parents for investi- gatDry tD redpnb1e their efforts to solve the mysteries of this terrible plague and to discover, if possible, satisfa rtzry r means T, o prevention and cure.
 Had sDmepne been so fortunate az to discover a serum or vaccine that would insure prDtect1on against this disease, we know 1t would have been immediately adDpted and unanimous 1y accepted
 Now we arc facing another plague
 Enna1 pux-t1as mysteries of which have been solved, and fDr which a srre means of protection has been provided, but instead Of universal ac- ceptamce, more or Less re1utaIce and opposition to it's use has been shown It is hard to explain this tnconBisten- cy of the human mind, but 1t is de- monstratad over and over again in everyday life
 Many people hesitate to be vacci- mated or to have their children vac- ctnated because of false impressl ons they have received by reading sensa~ tiona1 news. or because of a lack c1 knowledge of the history and actual benefits of vaccination.
 Smallpox in the eighteenth century was responsible for ten per cent ol all deaths and for one-thfrd of the deaths of children. In 17b2, Boston had population of 15,684 and of this number. there were only 174 who had never had smallpox.
 Vaccination was discovered by Jenner in 1796 and was soon adopted by all civilized countries. Smallpox then became 8 rare disease. The fear of it gradually faded and with the passing from memory of its horrible rayages the practice of vaccination has been greatly neglected
 The result is that smallpox is crop ping out in many states, and in some 1nvaccSnated communities it is a1- most epidemic. It is true that the disease in Connecticut is of . mild type. but we know that 1t may, at any time. become vfrulent and destructive. It being Impossible to isolate and con- fine all existing cases, vaccination must be resorted to for protection.
 Perhaps the most series objection to vaccination fs the fear of complica.- hons following. There has been some justi ifcation for this fear because of the methods of vaccinatton before the days of asepsis and the use of COW vaccine. Early vaccinations were made by inoculating from person to person, a practice which undoubted- ly did trannlit disease. Now vaccine virus is secured from healthy calves undsF the supervision of United States Inspectors and is prepared under the strictest aseptic precautions.
 The method of vaccination has also improved Where formerly it was done carelessly and without aseptic precauti ons, 1t now receives the same care and attention as surgical oper- ation.
 Occasionally vaccination sores do assume serious aspect due to if1fec- tion after vaccination. This infection occurs because of improper care of the wound or scratch It must be re-
 qembered that vaccination should receive the same care as any wound until entirely healed. Since modern methods have been adopted, careful investigation shows that only one death out of million vaccinations can be truly charged to vaccination, directly or indirectly
 With pure vaccine carefully used. vaccination Is a perfectly safe pro- cedure and will not cause serious complications, and will surely prevent smallpox.