The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1918-02-16
HOW szzALLPox spRzAps


In a recent Issue Of the Bulletin Of
the Department Of Health story was
told which Illustrated how uncontrolled
smallpox is spread through Q som-
munity. The story referred to de-
tailed the facts a. to . single ease OF
smallpox in Waterbury, Conn. II
showed how, with no regulations en-
forcing vaccination, from this one case,
inside of few weeks, s7s cases were
discovered, al Of which were directly
traeeabls to the first ease.
The case In Connecticut was used ~
an example Of what happens to q com
nunity whsn Ii fails to protect itssf
by vaccination. Now, however, prac-
tieaIly the same condition has been
found to exist much closer home. In
other words, to be exact, ON January
81, 1918, here in Chicago, . case of
smallpox was discovered in q so-cailed
theological school on the West Side.
This school and those who belong 70 il
do not believe in vaccination; in fact,
those in charge Of this school and re-
spoasibls for its existence snphstieally
and unreasonabiy oppose vaccination.
Now note the results:
Since January 2lst tyenty-seyen ad-
ditional cases of smallpox have been
taken out of this school and sent to the
smallpox hospital for isolation and
treatment. All Of these eases were
exposed to the frst case and are, there
fore, directly traeeable to the first dis
covered ease.
Here is the important point: Had the
people attending this sehsel ,aad these
in charge of it believed in vaccination
and all had been successfully vac
einated, it would have been impossible
10 have taken q ease Of smallpox cut ot
that institution.
This total Of twenty-eight cases tax
en- from this institution win cost the
taxpayers Of the City Of Chicago $500
for their isolation and care.
Query: Why shouldn't this expense
be charged to the institution itself, in
stead of to the taxpayers generality
Vaccination is a protection against
smallpox.
IL is performed free.
II is safe and harmless.
Why not take advantage Of it nowi
According to figures furnished
through the draft boards, the first
y0o0, 900 men of draft age examined
disclosed 100000 cases of tuberculosis
There are 10000, 900 men listed for ex-
animation in the Office Of the provost
general This means that should the
same ratio prevail when these are ex-
amined, approximately 100000 new or
additional cases Of tuberculosis would
be discovered in the ranks of men of
draft age alone. These figures should
serve to drive home the necessity for
increased activity along all possible
lines of action in the efforts now being
made to combat the spread of this ter
rible and destructive foe to human life.
DR.. Chas. J. Tasting, president of
the American Public Health Assoeia-
tion, is authority for this statement:
ain the various nations engaged in
this war, in times of peace, over $780,
900 die annually from preventabls dis
eases. There have been fewer than
7,0O0, 900 killed in action on al sides
since tho outbreak of war. Obviously,
then, all the battles in the interest of
humanity and the interests of nations
are not fought in the firing line. The
perennial warfare wages against the
invisible foe is as important-if not
more so-than that now waeed against
those who are threatening the destrue-
tiOn Of the very principles of eiviliza-
ton"