[The epidemic of smallpox in Guangdong Province and its prevention and treatment in the Republican period].

During the Republican period, the smallpox broke out in high frequency almost annually in Guangdong. In response to infectious diseases, the Guangdong government established the Health Administration and institutions for infectious disease's prevention and treatment, and prepared smallpox vaccine by themselves. In order to grasp the situation of the epidemic, related institutions collected epidemic data weekly, monthly, and annually with the statistics reported regularly. Meanwhile, infectious disease hospital was established for smallpox patients. Harbor quarantine put smallpox as a key target of inspection. With the joint effort of the government and social organizations, massive "vaccination campaigns" was organized to promote vaccination, in which children, students and young people were the main subjects for inoculations. Prevention knowledge and anti-epidemic concept towards smallpox have been actively publicized and improved by media.