But it would require proof of even greater dangers to justify any attempt to set aside a practice which has effectually subdued a disease that has swept away whole populations, and has every now and again made attempts to reassert its old evil dominion. The compulsory adoption of the practice is justified by the fact that every unvaccinated person is a danger to the com. which he lives. If the person who refused to be vaccinated endangered only him self he might be left till time and small-pox taught him his folly, but when it is remembered that every small-pox patient may be a source of infection to multitudes, a community is en titled to decree that no man shall be permitted to dwell in its midst without adopting the re cognized precaution against the disease. "The wheel of time brings back the follies of the past oftener than its wisdom," and objections that were met and answered two-thirds of a century ago still find people prepared to urge them. Anyone who carefully examines the many documents on vaccination that are open for reference, can arrive at this conclusion only, that the opposition to vaccination can find sup porters only among the grossly ignorant or the wholly irrational.
Rules for child ought to be vaccinated within a very few months after birth. If the child is well and strong it is good to have it done by the third month, before the troubles of teething begin. If, how ever, be in the neighbourhood no age is too early. If the child be sickly or recover ing from some sickness it ought to be postponed for some weeks till strength returns. Not less than two well-marked pocks should be pro duced, but four give the greatest degree of safety. Many people prefer to have their children vaccinated with matter from the cow, and there is, of course, no objection to this if the child be vigorous. For it is to be noticed that the effects of the cow's matter are more marked than those of matter passed through the human subject. But if the child from whom the matter is taken is thoroughly healthy there is no risk in the use of such matter, and it is as effective for the purpose. The arm which has been vaccinated should be carefully protected from rubbing and injury, and perfect cleanliness observed. Care should be taken that clothes do not press unduly up into the armpit to interfere with the natural flow of blood in the part. Many people employ shields for pro tecting the parts from rubbing; but they are apt to press unequally on the skin, to interfere with the circulation, and cause a much more than usual degree of swelling in the arm. A pad of sterilized wool is now sold by all drug gists, which affords the best protection. Where
ever small-pox is prevailing, all persons above ten at the utmost, who were vaccinated in childhood, should be re-vaccinated, and natu rally no time should be lost in having vac cination performed on any who have never undergone the procedure.
is extremely desirable that all persons who have been vaccinated in childhood should be vaccinated again before the twentieth year, as a matter of course, but where any risk of infection is present, the second vaccination should be performed by the tenth year. Small-pox among adults who have been re-vaccinated is practically unknown. But, after the lapse of years, the protection against small-pox to those who have under gone the process only in childhood diminishes, though if they were attacked the disease would always be milder.
Chickenpox (Varicella) has been supposed to be a mild form of small-pox. It is not so, for an attack of small-pox does not protect against chicken-pox, nor the latter against the former, although one attack of chicken-pox protects against a second. It is highly in fectious; and children mainly suffer. The in fection is caught from one to two weeks before the disease shows itself. That is, its period of incubation or hatching lasts that time.
disease shows itself by some degree of feverishness, restlessness, loss of appetite, and within twenty-four hours rosy red pimples appear on the face, head, chest, and other parts of the body. These speedily become blebs, filled with clear fluid and sur rounded by a ring of inflammation, enlarging till they may be equal to the size of a split pea. Within a week the blebs pass through the stage of pustule, that is, the clear fluid becomes changed into yellow matter, and dries up into dark-coloured scabs. By another week the scabs have fallen, leaving red marks, which last for a time. The rash does not come out all at once, but in crops, so that for three or four days one set follows another. They may appear on the sides of the month and tongue. In ten days or a fortnight the disease has run its course. The disease has no evil results, though the child may remain weakly for some days after its disappearance. (Eruption is shown on Plate XXVIII.) Treatment.—The child should be kept in one room, and have ordinary mild diet, milk, &c. No medicine is necessary. The use of the warm lysol bath (p. 508) is very soothing to the irritated skin. It should be given daily for ten days. Separation from other children ought to be insisted on, as the disease is so infectious.