The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-06-11
OF DISEASE
City Health Officer Discusses
y, Smallpox in Topeka.
Urges That Every Citizen Be
= Naccinated at Once.

TdACCIldJCu ut fOMCCs
~
Dr. Earle G. Brown. city health
officer, has written the following
article on smallpox as the third of a
series of public health discussions for
The Topeka State Journal:
Smallpox.
Before the discovery of vaecina-
ton by Jenner in 1896. smallpox was
the terror OF all mankind. 1t was the
Unusual thing to meet persons walk
ing thru the streets whose faces were
not peck marked.
With the discovery of vaccination,
the entire situation changed, because
almost Immediately this mode or pre-
vention was introduced and praetlced
in a great number of the ciYlllzed
countries. In countries where Vacc1-
nation was compulsory. cases OF this
dread disease were practically UNI
known.
Again Spreading Over World.
To-day, smallpox is again spreading
over the world. During the recent
war. people from many different coun-
tries were brought together. Also,
were millions of refugees in the war
ridden countries who lived uncer most
insanitary conditions. Great numbers
of. doctors were with the armies and
IL
IN the policy of vaccination. Con-
sequently smallpox increased
Vaccination is the preventive OF TINS
foathsome disease. OF course, II
danger, but it is not possible to avoid
exposure when the disease is preVa-
lent Smallpox is infectious from the
onset when the patient has his head
ache, backache and fever. There 10
alneriod of five to seven days from the
odset until the eruption appears
When the eruption appears, even tho
the person may not know what olsease
he has, he does not usually care TO
aJpear on the streets because or MS
appearance.
r. Is Certain Prevention.
Isvaccination is certain prevention,
when given in time. The most striking
example is Cuba. In that country, be-
FIRE American occupation, sfnahpo4
was widespread and resulted in great
rhamber of deaths each year. In 1895
add 1897 there were in the city OF
Havana over 1 900 deaths, each year.
After American occupation, VAGINA
ton was inforced and children We're
compelled to be vaccinated, as Wen as
all persons who had not previously
been vaccinated. Between 1901 ana
1917, there was but one death from
smallpox in Havana. A similar condl-
ti6n existed in Japan. However, IN
1909, tire law of Japan required vac
within three month after birth, with
this regulation, the numbers OF cases
and deaths decreased rapidly and since
that time there have been no cpl
damics in Japan.
Big Increase in California.
'The state of California had s2e cases
= in 1911; 1.172 in 1918 and 2,OOO IN
1919. Very few of these persons had
hyer been successfully vaccinated, or
Rot in the past 10 years. In 1918
government records show that there
Eere nearly 20, 600 cases Of smallpoE
n the United States. Undoubtedly,
there were many more cases that were
i3ot reported.
w. C Allen writing for Modern
Medicine asks if we are to have an
ether pandemic of smallpox. He says
II has been two decades since cpl
denies of any proportion have swept
over the country and while the wal
Fsfsulted in the vaccination of large
numbers of male adults, the very
roung are almost unvaccinated, WINE
those Of older or middle life have moi
been revaccinated for many years.
From January l to May L, there
We're III cases of smallpox reported
70 the city health department. The
great majority of these cases were
among the. colored race. During the
month of May, SIS cases were reported
81 of them never had successful vac
cnation. In 1920, 81 cases were re
Sorted So far this year, 20 more
eases have been reported than were
reported during the entire year o.
1920.
Gives Some Figures.
Doctor Chesley, executive officer fol
the state board of health of Minnesota
gives the following interesting figures
on vaccination: From January 1
1913, to January l, 1921, there were
reported to the state board more thar
10000 cases of smallpox. OF thii
number, ia per cent gave history o
having been vaccinated within pc
riod of seven years; Sc per cent gaxi
a history of having been vaccinateC
more than seven years. and 90 pc
cent had never been successfully vac
cinated.
Remember that every man whit
went into the United States or Cana
dian armies during the world war wa
Haccinated. There were practically NJ
cases in either army.
Do not listen to those persons op
posed to the one sure means of pre-
vention. for they are either misguid
ed or misinformed.
Smallpox may be avoided.
Vaccination is certain prevention
against 1t.
Only when vaccination and revacci
nation are properly carried out ma