The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1919-01-25
DR.. Coldsborough Endorses
Pneumonia Vaccine

Editor of The Banner:
Sir.-There has never been time
in the history of this nation when we
have had an epidemic nationwide,
and attended with such an enormous
mortality rate, as the present one.
In such a crisis it seems to me that
it does behoove those who mold opln-
ion and who lead the nation to do so
with unusual care and knowledge of
the whole situation, for some state
ment that is at variance with the
whole truth may be the cause of the
death of many people.
In yesterdays issue you published
a statement from d New York paper,
stating that the President of the
New York City Board of Health says
that there are no vaccines against in
fuenza, and you had this in black
face type Now what are the facts
in this unfortunate controversy
which has arisen in the medical pro-
fession? Without going into detail,
it is sufficient to say that the Health
Officer of Chicago believes that there
is a vaccine, and that the City Coun-
ell of Chicago passed an ordinance
requiring all citizens of Chicago to
be vaccinated, under penalty of fine
or Imprisonment, and the city pur-
chased a large quantity Of this vac
cine from the Mayo Institute in Ro-
chester, Minnesota, made by DR..
Rosenow, the noted pathologist to
the Mayo Clinic This vaccine is
used extensively all through the west
and is similar to the one that has
been used here up until the last
month.
The Pennsylvania Railroad, Sun
Shipbuilding Corporation, Carnegie
Mills, Bell Telephone Company and
large coal mining companies in Penn
sylvania, have all advised and prac-
tised vaccination on large scale,
and, from their medical directors,
come the statements. with great sue
cess. The president of the largest
coal mining company, the Berwln
White Company, writes that by rea-
son of the vaccine and immunity it
produced, he had one hundred per
cent production in his mines, when
every other mine in Pennsylvania
was closed down, and similar state
ments have been gotten from about
one hundred thousand cases which l
have run down from these great cor
porations.
The Government of the United
States, seeing the difference of opin-
ion. established an advisory board on
this very subject, which comprised
the leading specialists of the coun-
try, and among these was DR.. Level
lys F. Barker, 2 professor of Johns
Hopkins, who spent the night with
me two weeks aso and went over this
question in detail. Finally, after
much deliberation, the Government,
about six or eight weeks ago, was
advised to use the pneumonia VAC
cine. That is not the vaccine against
influenza, but against pneumonia,
which is the only danger from an
influenza attack, for without the
pneumonia, influenza would be moth
ing more than a bad cold. Acting
upon this advice. the Government OF
this great country is now vaccinat1ng
all its soldiers, sailors and employees
with this pneumonia vaccine, which
is the sort of vaccine l have used for
about six weeks, and which was the
vaccine used by DR.. J. w. Meade and
myself in the late epidemic at Hoop
er's Island, and which proved so ef-
ficient in our hands.
In conclusion, 1 would state, there
fore, that you have not put the whole
facts before the people for them to
decide, and as I am public health
officer myself, having been the Ma
rine Hospital Surgeon here for near
Continued on Page Two.)