The Johnston County Medical Society held its regular meeting here Tuesday afternoon, March 9. The attendance at this meeting was the greatest it has been in many months. Interest manifested in local medical topics was unusually keen. The outstanding feature was in the form of a paper presented by Dr. J.C. Grady of Kenley, on the subject of smallpox. This subject was very effectively and eloquently presented, leading ultimately to the question of smallpox prevention. Aware of an outbreak of several cases of smallpox of a virulent form in the northern part of the county during January and the tendency of the disease to spread, knowing that prevention means more than cure and that preventative means should always be taken against diseases where such are effective, the Johnston County Medical Society goes on record as follows:
--That the Johnston County Board of Health requires compulsory vaccination against smallpox of every child in the county before entering the next term of school, who has not been previously successfully vaccinated, or known to have had smallpox. Knowing that universal vaccination is the only effective means by which smallpox can be eradicated from the rostrum of diseases, it behooves the local society to make such recommendation.
It might be well to state that in order to head off an epidemic, as above referred to, it was necessary to vaccinate between 1,100 and 1,200 people. This was accomplished by the members of the medical society cooperating with the health officer.
Dr. W.P. Whitted of Kenly was elected to membership in the society.
--C.C. Massey, Secretary
Johnston County Medical Society
From the front page of the Smithfield Herald, Tuesday morning, March 16, 1926
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073982/1926-03-16/ed-1/seq-1/
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