SMALLPOX.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18668, 17 April 1926, Page 4

SMALLPOX.

CALIFORNIA OUTBREAK. DOMINION PRECAUTIONS. The high death rate from smallpox in Los Angeles was recently reported. Since then Adelaide has cabled (April 11th) that the P. and 0. steamer Barrabool, from London, has arrived with four case 3 of smallpox, and has been quarantined. For months, the New Zealand Health Department has been carefully examining passengers and crews on steamers from American ports and within the last few days similar measures have been extended to boats from British ports. Severe Type. From January 2nd, 1926, to February 20th, 1926, there were reported to the Californian State Board of Health 964 cases of smallpox, 86 of which are' known to have resulted iu death. "These facts (says the Bulletin of the Californian State Board of Health) show that we are not dealing with the mild 1 variety of smallpox that has been prevalent for several years in West Middle West, and Southern States'. *We now have here a severe and rapidly fatal form of this disease—the type that distinguished sharp outbreaks recently in Kansas City, Denver, Detroit, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, Toledo', and some of the Canadian cities. It is' the kind of smallpox that brings a case fatality rate of approximately 25 per cent, in the communities where it occurs in sharp outbreaks. . . The present epidemic of smallpox in California will not begin to wane until a large proportion of the population of each community where the disease is present becomes vaccinated successfully. There is no other way to control the disease." While other diseases are more or less amenable to preventive treatment in the way of general sanitation and community "clean-ups, the preventive principle, in the case of smallpox, finds its chief line of defence in the human body—that is, in individual immunisation by means of vaccination. It is true that the first line of defence is inspection, isolation, quarantine, etc., but, should that first line be passed, then the personal protection becomes the vital protection.' Personal Protection. "Health officers (adds the "Californian Bulletin") will probably be interested to know that every employee of the California State Board of Health has been instructed to be immunised against smallpox immediately, regardless of previous immunisations. The Board also has made provision for immunising all other State employees who may desire it. It ia fortunate that those who are opposed to vaccination work no ham; upon any persons other than themselves, for it is only unvaccinatcd persons who incur any risk of contracting this often fatal disease. Lack of personal protection at the present time represents a fallacy of extreme degree. Individuals who have not had successful vaccinations within I the past few years should receive immunisations now." In places in America where a 25 per cent, case fatality was reached, the preventive forces were able to localise the virulence and overcome it. SmallI pox with a 25 per cent, fatality was not allowed to , spread far, nor to continue long. Tho public health authorities fought it by immediately putting a cordon round the place of infection, and by means of isolation and vaccination. The law gives the New Zealand Health Department power to vaccinate contact's, and empowers the Minister in a locality where the disease is epidemic, to compel all to vaccinate. Every Health Department prefers an orderly and regular process of vaccination to a panic rush for vaccination, the former being better for all concerned.