Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-06-10
VACCINATION Of
YOUNG CHILDREN
State Medical Consultant Gives
Some Observations on This
Important Subject.

Following is the seventeenth article o.
the series for the Mothers Column, con-
tributed by the medical consultant of the
State Reconstruction Commission, sub
mitted bv the commission through the
Clearing House of the Delaware State
Program:
SMALLPOX.
The smallpox Of modern times is not
usually as severe as it was before vac
cination came to be SO generally used.
General epidemics, sweeping whole
country, do not commonly occur. Epi-
denies are still encountered in small COM
'munities. We have one absolutely sure
and save preventive measure, that is
vaccination. BY means of this we can
prevent smallpox, and il it were possible
to vaccinate every person In the country,
the disease would become extinct.
There is absolutely no danger as re-
suit of vaccination. A vacclnated arm
never becomes infected IL an absolutely
clean dressing (by clean / mean sterile) Is
kept on the small area affected. The arm
should be dressed daily and should not he
irritated in any way. II these simple pre-
cautions are observed, sore arms as re-
suit of vaccination will be unknown.
Every child should be vaccinated be-
fore he starts school This should be, and
in most cities is, compulsory. III 1T IS not
done, the parent is merely exposing his
child TO the possibility of acquiring very
dangerous disease, and In most cases IS
doing il knowingly This is almost crimI-
nal negligence on the part Of the parent
See that your child IS vacCInated during his
first five years, and at least every hve
years thereafter, in order to insure the
continuance of immunity conferred by
vaccination.
The incubation period Of smallpox IS
from eight 10 fourteen days. sometimes
longer That is the length of time 1t
takes for the disease TO develop after ex-
posure The initial symptoms are chill
severe pain in the back and loins head
ache and high fever On the thlrd or
fourth day after the first symptoms are
noticed, the characteristic eruption ap-
pears on the forehead, wrists, lips and
sometimes in the mouth. The eruption
comes first as little lump or papule
This soon becomes pustule IAN eruption
that looks like large pimplel. This
breaks and a crust is formed over the top
of the pustule.
Smallpox is transmitted by the breath
exhalations, from the skin, clothing or
ANYTHING that has been in contact with
the patient. The patient should be isolat-
ed very completely, and the same steps
taken to prevent spread Of the disease as
were taken with scarlet fever-that is,
sterilization OF all clothing and bed
clothes before sending them to the laun-
dry, and also the sterilization Of the dis
charges from the body This sterilization
should be earned out by two per cent
carbolic acid solution five tcaspoonsful
carbolic acid to one quart Of water
Allow the clothes to soak for half an hour
in this solution before sending them to
the laundry Discharges Of the body
should be sterillzed in the same manner
before emptyIng-
When the patients skin is smooth and
free from All crusts. an antiseptic bath
should he gwen before he IS allowed ont
Of the sick room Directions for this will
be gwen by the attending physician The
room should be dIsiniected ny thorough
scrlbhing and plenty of fresh air and sun
shine before allowing other members Of
the family into il
Nothing Is said here about the treat
ment Of smallpox, as physician should be
called immediately upon noticing the first
symptoms. He will give the necessary adj
VICE