Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1824-01-24

From the tPhilad.l NsssoAol Gazette.
MR. EDuroR-The anxiety excit-
ed by the appearance and progress
of the present Variolous Epidemic,
isnow raised to q painful height
The abuse of new terms, invented to
convey moro precise meaning, has
led to great Misunderstanding, and
to conplexity Of error. Whilst one
phy calls every case of the pre-
sent eruptive epidemic q sarioloid
case, another restricts the application
of the tern to those cases which hap.
peu in persons who have previously
been affected by small pox or the
vaccine disease; and a third applies
il solely to the miider and more If
regular forms of the malady, in
whomsoevsr occurring. Doubts have
thus.beea raised as to the specific
character Of the epidemic. Many
are disposed to believe that two ep'-
denies, of kindred natures, are now
prevailing together; whilst others
are inclined TO the opinion that there
arc varieties of the same distemper,
and that small pox and the varioloid
disease are one 4nd the same thing.
This is an important question, the
determination OF which cannot fail to
be productive Of good. Ii this be a
new disease, there can be no good
reason for the general want Of faith
in the protection afforded by cow
pox against the attack Of small pox.
If it be net a new disease, but a va
riety or varieties Of small pox. then
we are called on to inquire how TAR
the human race may be benefited by
the discovery Of the illastrious jen.
ner.
That none of the varieties Of the
present epidemic have claim to the
name Of y new disease, may be dc.
termined by the following facts:
lst. A disease Of the same nature
has, within a few years. prevailed in
different parts efthe island OF Great
Britain. During IT'S prevalence, a
surgeon Of eminence, whose child.
after having been successfully vac
cinated. was attacked by tire mild
form If the disease incident to such
persons, took the matter and inocu-
lated with II those who had not been
affected by either disease. In these
cases, genuine small pox occurred.
To render the case clearer, the mat
ter thus produced was inserted into
the bodies Of vaccinated persons, and
the milder and more irregular form
of the disease was excited. ed. The
insertion Of the variolous virus has
in e varcinated case in this city, pro-
duced the disease usually called va
rioloid. sd. The following facts which
among OF .ers Of a like character.
have fallen under my own notice,
point to the same conclusion. A
whole family-father. mother, and
six children-were brought TO the
small pox hospital ; the parents and
three ofthe children already covered
with an eruption, and the three re-
maiuing children under the influence
of fever. Four of the children had
been successfully vaccinated, about
tzro 1ceeks before; the two others,
with the parents, were, as it is term
ed, unprotected, The mother reco-
vered, after q evere attack of Com
fluent small pox. The father died.
One Of the unprotected children
died of continent small pox, the other
recovered, having had a mild dis
ease, which might, by some, be es.
tsemrd a uari0loid case. The four
children who had been vaccinated,
had the disease in its mildest form,
and were not, after tho appearance
of the eruption. confined to bed for
one hour.
From all these facts, and many o.
Tiers might be adduced. are We not
fairly entitled to consider the present
epidemic as smsll pox, more or less
qualified by the circumstance of the
case, varying, not according to the
variety of the disease to which ex-
passed, bat according to the con.
dition Of the person exposed. be-
ing commonly modified in those per-
sous who have before had COW pox
or small pex, and displaying in un-
nrotected individuals. its unveiled