Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1919-09-02
STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT
TURNS GUNS ON SMALLPOX

The State Health Department I,
cooperation with the school authoritie,
mas lnaugnrated Its campaign agnins
smallpox In New Mexico by takin,
steps looking TO the carrying out o
the provisions OF the law requiring vac
clnation OF school children. The mat
ter Is being taken up with the count,
superintendent OF schools. who. undel
the law. IL required 10 see that chill
dren OF school age are veccinated il
each county In the State, and arrange
ments are being made for the instruc
ti0n OF the teachers In each school n,
to the requirements OF the law. which
they will be expected to rigidly enfory.
Section 2s Of tho new public healtl
law, Chapter 50, Laws OF New Mexico
1919, reads as follows:
VACCINATION OF CHILDREN. II
schall ha lha duty OF the school super
intendent OF each county TO see that MI
children In his county OF school age
are vaccinated against smallpox. and
to that end each teacher OF "a puhllf
school shall see that the Children under
MS control havr been successfully vac
cinafel, aud " shall be unlawful foi
any child to attend school or any teach
er TO allow such ohild within any
school house, Wnless so vacclnated, OF
showing proper certificate that ho has
been 10 vaocinated. Such teacher shall
make report az the number of children
whom he has caused to he vaccinated
aud those who have presented proper
certificates that they have been vac.
cinatpn. 70 the county school superln.
lendent at the beginnina az the school
year, aud as often thereafter as he may
deem NECESSARY. together with the re.
i,ort " The names OF any parents who
refuse 70 allow their children TO be
vaccinated, and any person who shall
refuse or neglect to have his or her
children vaccinated according 10 the
law shall be deemed guilty of mis-.
delneanpr aud upon conviction there.
ot, shall be fined not less than ten
$1,000 dollars, nor more than one
hundred ($lOlO0l dollars, or imprison.
ed W the county Jail not exceeding me
hundred (100) days
In order that there may be no delay
In the admission of children TO the
schools when they open early in Sep.
tember, IL Il advised that steps be
taken toward the vaccination of chill.
dren OF school age, or the securing OF
certificates required, at the earliest
possible date.
The department expects that the en-.
rarcement or the law will, within five
years. hanlsh smallpox from the State
OF New Mexico. Commissioner G.. H.
Waller states that vaccination Is the
only effective means Of preventing the
spread Of the disease. like some OF
the other infectious diseases" he says
smallpox Is probably contagious In lis
early stages, bafore the eruption makes
It's appearance. Until the eruption has
appeared the disease may simulate al
most any malady accompanied by
fever, and In mild cases may cause sO
little discomfort that the infected In.
dividual goes about his duties and
mingleS with the public until the ma.
ture Of the disease il disclosed by the
eruption, Even where the individual
Is confined 10 his bed the physician
may not be called until the appear.
ance Of the patient becomes suspi-
cious; friends and relatives are thus
exposed without being aware of the
danger In a large percentage OF
cases, by the time the disease is recog.
nized and quarantine has been estab-
lished. II is probable that most OF the
damage to the public has been done"
Experience unquestionably bears
this out. In countries where quarna-
tine has been relied upon. II has been
proven impossible TO control the dis
ease; while on the other hand, where
general vaccination has been rigidly
practlced, smallpox has completely
disappeared. England, with its con
gested population. furnishes a notable
example OF this fact. The experience
of the Army in the control OF typhoid
fever. through vaccination. has shown
conclusively what can be accomplished
by artificial immunlzation. and the
public has very generally begun 10 take
advantage OF this means OF protection
In vaccination for smallpox we are af-
forded security even more absolute.
$50 mild are some OF the cases at the
present time" states Dr. Waller. pos.
sibly due TO the loss OF virulence OF
small pox In its fight against the gen
eral immunity apparently being ac-
quired by mankind through vaccina.
tion and Infection with the disease.
many people are inclined to regard
smallpox all too lightly. In this con
nection 1t should be borne In mind that
IL Is possible for non-immune indi-
vidual TO acquire fatal infection from
contact with mild case; such an oc.
currence Is by no means rare. More