New Britain herald., 1924-03-12
IMPROVED VACCINE
 METHOD ADVOCATED Would Affect Quarantine Period,
 Health Superintendent Says

Relieving that vaccination methods used by the government in gC"ern-
 ment quarantine stations are 9 i'm proNCm"nt over methods now in gen. eral uac. lpr R. W. Pullen. supern- ,tcndent of health. has written to each New Britain physician sending him extracts from the public health re- ports advocating the adoption of the new m"thod. .Dr. ruIlcn will repeat
 his action so as 10 emphasize the value in the present smallpox out break ot lending as much assistance to the health board as possible.
 In advocating general vaccination lIr. Pullcn calls attention to a report made ir inc last quarterly bulletin of tn" health department in which it is pointed out that if is possible the smallpox outbreak may he spread to some extent by persons who thought they had mild case of chicken pox and who were not reported to the health department. either by school teachers or physicians. Some of these eases, the bulletin points out. may have been so mild as not to have had a physicians care at all. and could easily have been taken for chicken poX by parents or teachers.
 Nevertheless. says the bulletin, such mild cases can spread smallpox and the one who catches the disease from a mild case may have severe one.''
 In advocating tho new method Dr. Pullen explains that this is series of three scratches each three quarters of an inch long and an inch apart Virus of known potency and unex- pred date is used in the two outside scratches only. No vaccine is applied to the middle scratch.
 This shows how much change is due to the natural action of the func- tions of the body and how much to the vaccine. It also indicates the pa tient's immunity to smallpox.
 In using this method. if a patient is immune. either from having had smallpox or from a previous yaccina- ton, sharp reaction will take place. reaching its maximum in AS, hours and disappearing entirely in four days. Persons who, after having been vaccinated by this method and arc declared immune. arc not detained in quarantine after the second day. This does not apply 10 those who come in direct contact with tho patient. who are kept under the regulation quaran- tine.
 In the case of three family house, single case of smallpox under the present quarantine system now being used. means the quarantine of the en- tire building and the three families. Those who do not have the disease arc advised 10 be raccinatodN and members of the two other families, who at one time come in contact with the stricken family, are permitted to leave their homes only after they I have been proven immune. Tn the case Of this method, which Dr. Pullen
 says has been used by the L. $. quar- antine stations for years. if they are
 found immune they arc permitted 10
 leave after the second day. Other
 wise they arc quarnntined for tho full ] l4 days. and in case Of the spreading of the disease 10 another floor may be quarantined indefinitely.
 | Smallpox and vaccination informa- ] ton has been provided the local
 health department by the state board Of health and is being given 10 all who i visit the health departments offices ] in city hall.
 ] In discussing the protection afford ! cd by vaccination tine state health de. partment's booklet says:
 Protection by Vaccination "vaccination undoubtedly protects against smallpox and increases the re- sisting powers of the individual i against the invasion Of the smallpox germ. This resistance is usually suf- | ficient to prevent his contracting the | disease, but in tho few cases where | it does not. the disease assumes a very | mild form.
 "vaccination for smallpox ususll ' protects for period Of five years. ai- ] though it has been known to estab- l fish an immunity which will last a i lifetime. Re-vaccinaiion will not ' take if the immunity established by a previous vaccination still exists, but i if it does take this shows that the protection afforded by tho first vac
 cinaiion has expired and that tho in-
 dividual is susceptible to smallpox.
 "Thc mild form which smallpox has assumed in late years Is believed 10 | be due to tho fact that a partial inn
 niunity has been established bccause
 Of general vaccination years age. This partial immunity. however. is growing less year by year. and unless the com { ing generation is taccinaied. WI are likely 10 experience serious and fatal