Milford chronicle., 1919-12-19
SMALLPOX CASES
In SUSSEX COUNTY
THE PRESENT OUTBREAK is SAID TO
Be DUE TO NEGLECT OF PEOPLE
TO Be KACCINATED.
FIRST REPORTED LAST MAY
DELAWARE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH
REPORTS MATTER AND TELLS OF
PUBLIC COST.

In Delaware Health News for De-
cember. published by the Delaware
State Board of Health. the following
interesting statement regarding small
poX in Sussex county is given:
The present outbreak Of smallpox
in Indian River hundred is due en-
tirely 10 the fact that the citizens have
failed 10 avail themselves Of the pro-
lection afforded by vaccination. Two
cases were reported in May. three in
in June and one in July. All the in
mates of the houses in which cases
developed were yaccinated, as were
all other persons who were known to
have been exposed. But owing TO the
relatively mild character of the dis
ease it was felt that there might be
unreported mild cases that would con-
linue TO spread the disease in the dis
trict and the State Board of Health
therefore posted warning notices
throughout the hundred urging all OF
the citizens TO be yaccinated. This
advice was not generally followed
In October several suspicious cases
were reported and an expert diagnos-
tician was called in who confirmed
the diagnosis of smallpox The expert
agreed with the State Board Of Health
that the protection OF the citizens Of
the entire State demanded the COM
pulsory vaccination of every inhabi-
tant OF the hundred Physicians were
engaged TO do the work at no expense
TO the citizens. yet there has been
widespread opposition 20 this well
recognized health protective measure
Notwithstanding that there were six
known cases of smallpox during Oc-
tober and twelve additional cases dur
ing the first two weeks of November
At the present writing legal steps are
about TO be instituted to force COM
pliance with the order of the State
Board of Health that all Inhabitants
Of Indian River hundred be vaccinated.
From monetary standpoint alone
the spread Of smallpox is to be deplor-
ed. Not only does it adversely affect
trade in the infected district. but the
actual cost to the county is relatively
enormous. The county is Obliged BY
law TO stand the expense of quarantine
when the afflicted person is unable to
pay such expenses, and when watch
men are employed the expense per
case is heavy. The expense to Sussex
county for the six cases reported in
the early summer was about $1,000 and
bills for the last eighteen cases have
not been submitted This expense is
a needless waste OF the taxpayers
money. due entirely to personal OBJ
jectiOns TO vaccination. And the pres
ent outbreak is not an isolated case.
as there was an epidemic of thirty or
forty cases of smallpox in Gumboro
hundred only a little more than a
year ago Sussex county would save
money if it insisted upon and paid for
the vaccination of every one OF its
mo amount of argument can change
the fact proven by years of practical
experience with millions of persons
that vaccination is safe and almost
infallable preventive OF smallpox. II
is always the unvaccinated and not
the recently vaccinated who contract
the disease whenever it appears in a
community. According to a recent
by the United States
Public Health Service there have been
over 100000 persons vaccinated in
This country during the past two years
without single DEATH whereas there
have been many. many deaths from
smallpox (preventable deaths) during
he same period. Vaccination does not
protect all persons indefinitely against
smallpox, but when the protection has
decreased to such an extent that per-
son contracts the disease the attack
IS much more mild than in an unvac-
,inated person. After two successful
the protection usually
lasts lifetime, although persons who
have been directly exposed TO small
pox should be vaccinated as a precau-
-ionary measure if it is more than five
Years since their last vaccination.
As cheap health insurance and as
financial proposition, get vaccinatedl
Back up compulsory vaccination and
keep your tax rate from being need
essly raised to pay for the care of
smallpox patients"