Milford chronicle., 1919-12-26
ENERGETIC MOVE
AGAINST SMALLPOX
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH EXPECTS TO
CONFINE IT WITHIN THE PRESENT
BOUNDS in SUSSEX COUNTY.

At meeting OF the State Board Of
Health held at Dover last week, the
smallpox situation in Sussex county
was discussed and the necessity OF
enforcing the state laws relative TO
vaccination was declared 10 be imper-
ative Resolutions were adopted com
pelling every resident of Georgetown
Dagsboro Indian River, Baltimore and
Lewes and RehObOth hundreds TO be
yaccinated by December 27. After that
date. any resident of these five hun
dreds who may be asked by any police
officer. health officer. local or other
wise, or any other interested person,
as TO whether they have been yaccln-
ated and refuse TO answer, the refusal
will be sufficient cause for lnforma-
ton arrest and arraignment before
any justice of the peace in any OF the
above named hundreds. and II found
guilty be subject to punishment OF
fine or imprisonment.
Or. L. S. COnwell. secretary and eX-
ecutiye officer of the State Board, said
Delaware is not the only State in the
Union infected with smallpox al pres
ent but that in nearly in half of the
States in the Union there were out
breaks of the disease. He said that
unless the people complied with the
vaccination laws. the epidemic would
spread beyond control
In the Sussex county cases Dr.. Con f.
well said. the vaccination would have I.
TO be done by the family physician
or some physician chosen by the fam
ily. as the State Board Of Health could .
not and would not undertake the work
of general vaccination. but would en-
force the law to the letter.
The cases already prosecuted in
Sussex county. which have included
some prominent citizens of the infect
ed districts. for failure to comply with
the vaccination order, are meant as
warning to all that they cannot escape
the mandates of the law.
Whereas. A house to house inspec- I.
ton in Indian River hundred has re-
yealed about 200 unreported cases OF
smallpox and
Whereas Many citizens of the sur
rounding hundreds have been exposed
TO the infection of smallpox as a re- 8
suit OF contact with these unrepOrted =
and unqUarantned cases; and
Whereas, As q result of such eX- (
posure cases of smallpox have 2l=-s
ready been reported r. 88aIiImore hun
I 49, -. 15--gsDoro hundred. Georgetown
hundred. Broadkln hundred and
Lewes and Rehoboth hundred as well
as i'm Indian River hundred; and
Whereas. Other cases may develop
AZ any time and thus constitute new
eenters of infection. and
Whereas the vaccination of every r
person i'm an infected district is the ,
only way Of stamping out an epidemic
Of smallpox; be il, therefore.
Resolved, That the present situation a
demands the immediate vaccination OF
every person i'm the abOve-named in
fected hundreds, and all such persons
are hereby required TO be vaccinated I
before December % Cf they have not
been vaccinated within five years. or
be liable to prosecution for violation
Of this regulation; physicians will
not be sent from house to house 10 c
and be il further
Resolved. That the posting of this
resolution in the customary places in Z
which official notices are posted in the
various hundreds shall be considered
official notice to each and every in
habitant of the infected hundreds; and
be ii further
Resolved, That the secretary Of the a
board is hereby authorized to employ [
such special officers as may be neces-
sary to determine whether or not this d
order has been complied with; and ]
be il further
Resolved, That every member and
every regular and special officer of =
his board shall on and after Decem-
Der q have full power to require proof r
IF vaccination in the said infected I
whether found in their ?
homes or on the streets, or in any |
,ther public or private place: and be
/ further g
Resolved. That any person in the 4
iaid infected hundreds who shall on =
md after December .27 refuse to pres
mt to any member or duly appointed =
,ficer OF this board satisfactory proof \
hat he has been vaccinated as re-
luired by this resolution shall be :,
ieemed guilty of violation OF this =
esolution and shall be liable to pros p
cution; and be 1t further
Resolved. That the secretary Of this :,
,oard is hereby instructed to institute y
egal proceedings in all cases Of re- Z
usal to comply with this order. r