The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-14
DIR. WOOD MAKES
AN EXPERIMENT
Visits Smallpox Patient Then
Goes to POtwin School.
Without FumigatiOn He Exam
ines 40 School Children.
HE SAYS THERE is NO DANCER
The Disease Cannot Be Carried
in Ones Clothing.
No Reason Why 1t Should Exist,
He Declares.
HE SAYS THERE is NO DANCER

That it is absolutely impossible to
carry smallpox in the clothing and
spread disease in that manner is the
statement made today by Dr. H. 3.
Wood, city physician.
And to prove that he thoroughly
believed that, he stated that Monde
! he handled a smallpox patient ana
went directly from the patient to Pot
win school where he examined forty
children for scabies.
People generally have fear of
smallpox, even if it is a city block
away and that fear is responsible for
the construction of the pest house OF
detention hospital outside the city
treme fear is unnecessary; that in
order to contract smallpox one must
come directly in contact with the per-
son suffering from it.
If it is as DR.. Wood states, the city
is spending a lot of money every year
for fumigation of houses after small
pox patients recover. and spending it
unnecessarily. 1t has always been the
custom in Topeka to fumigate such
places and even clothing worn by peo-
pie in the same house has been fumi-
gated. But if DR.. Wood is correct the
fumigation is unnecessary and even
the detention hospital. so far as
smallpox is concerned, is unnecessary
If the disease germs cannot be carried
on clothing, smallpox patients can be
handled in their own homes without
danger to outsiders.
Says He Has Tried 1t.
81 can state positively said DR..
Wood, that smallpox cannot be car
ried on the clothing. l know for the
| reason that l have tried it time after
time. Only last Monday L handled a
case of smallpox here in Topeka and
went directly from that patient to
Potwin school where 1 examined for
/ ty school children. l went from there
to other places from which l had re-
ports. There is not the slightest dan
ger.
There is just one way to get small
pox and that is by coming in contact
with the person who has it. Even
then it is not sure. Many people do
not take it. With proper vaccination
there is practically no chance of con-
tracing the disease no matter how
closely one comes in contact with a
smallpox patient.
There is no excuse for smallpox in
Topeka or elsewhere. Everyone can
get vaccinated and vaccination gives
positive immunity providing, of course,
/ it takes. In most case l believe l
I can tell from the appearance of the
vaccination mark whether or not a
person is immune. If the vaccination
| is successful II leaves & characteristic
mark.
Foolish to Take Chance.
People are foolish to take chances
of having the disease when they can
be immunized. l vaccinate myself al
most every year. l have handled all
kinds of smallpox cases and know l
! SIN immune.
There is a case of smallpox out at
the detention hospital now because the
man preferred to take his chances or
perhaps because he didn't ever con-
slider vaccination. There will be small
poX as long as people fail to be vac
: cinated."
! There are two cases of smallpox in
town and that is all, so far as the
city health department knows. One
of them, the case of Frank Kiddo,
now in the detention hospital, was
contracted from an out of town man,
visitor from southern Kansas The
I other case is on the East side and il
being looked up this afternoon