Evening journal., 1919-12-13
TO VACCINATE
ALLIN STATE
Board of Health Will Check
Possible Outbreak Of
Smallpox
DISEASE IN SUSESX
UNDER CONTROL

Chester II. Wells. state Commissioner
Of Health. arrived In Wilmington from
Dover today with the good news mat
The smallpox epidemic In Indian River
Hundred. not only has been checked
in It's spread, hut Is believed 10 be so
thoroughly under control that u VIII be
stamped out in the course of two weeks,
So conndcnt Is the State Board Of
Health that the disease has been
brought under control that II has or
dcred the schools In Indian River nun
dred 10 reopen on Monday 10 all chll-
lrcn who have been vaccinaied or VINO
have recovered from the malady.
II Is the intention OF the state Board
10 follow It's vaccination campaign WIN
similar campaigns throughout all Sus-
sex county. Kent county, New Castle
county. Including the city Of Whining
! ton. and thereby allay all danger "i
ouibrcak of The disease In serious pro-
portions. a.
Nfr Wells was enthusiastic over me
work ACCOMPLISHED in. Naccinaiins'
qnaraniinlng and fumlgatng In Indian
river Hundred ard Dagsborough ana
/ baltimore Hundreds. adjoining. me
majority OF residents I'm the entire ter
riiory ne said. had come to see the an
solute need OF vaccination and were
daily submitting to II In increasing
numbers.
A recent excursion by train from In
dian River 10 Philadelphia and re-
/ turn was made, attended by NUMBER
Of residents from Dagsoorough ana
baltimore Hundreds As a result OF
This contact a number Of scattered cases
of smallpox have been discovered In
The latter two hundreds. As illustral-
ing the spread of the malady hroush
contact. Mr.. Wells cited a family which
nassed the disease 10 nine other fam-
| lilies with which II was associated
"Thc assistance given by the physici-
ans and other public spirited men and
women In the affected area, has been
splendld" said Mr.. Wells. Then We
have had excellent vaccine serum. In
one school where - children were vac
clnaied the vaccine took In - in
stances. In the thlriy-nlnih we found
that the child yaccinated already hao
had the smallpox and was Immune any
how"
Il cannot praise the people OF Mills
boro too highly. for their part in the
health Boards campaign" continued
Mr.. Wells. "They haze done everything
posslble 10 keep the disease out OF the
iown and have succeeded Every school
child was Nacclnaied and believe that
fully % per cent Of the entire popula-
tlon Of the town has been innoculated
with the preventive serum. The iowr
officials even require persons atlendina
the movies 10 show their vaccination
cards before permitting them 10 enter
the shows.
But the principal thing Is thai
everyone both in the infected districts
and outside are yacclnated as quickly
as possible. Then we shall obvlat'
dlngc-."
Mr.. Wells said that the majority n
smallpox cases In Indian River Hun
drcd have thus far been mild. "Somc
now. however are pretty severe Ia
added. intlmating a death or two from
the disease might not be unexpected.
one Of the reasons why the disease
got such n start in Indian River before
the State Board Of Health could act was
that many Of the residents, particularly
Negroes. thought they had rash and
did not seek medical care. Consequently
they spread Nc disease In all directions,
almost before anyone knew what II was
Mr.. Wells estimated there were about
i25 cases in Indian River Hundred and
possibly a dozen outside.