The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1869-02-12
SMALL POX IN CALIFORNIA.
Fearful Ravases by the Terrible Pes
tllence-The Town of Sar Juan Deci>
mated.

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tllence-The Town of Sar Juan Deci>
mated.
Correspondence of the New y ' SUM-
SAN FRANCISCO, January Il.
Early in December the small pox broke
out in this city At first but little atten-
ton was paid to it beyond the ordinary
course of vaccination. But the disease
grew viruent, and many deaths occurred
Through some fearful mistake, numbers
of persons were vaccinated with impure
matter, and the ordinary medical treats
ment seemed 10 have no effect upon the
disease So fatal were its ravages that
public attention was Immediately drawn
to it.
The people became excited, and large
meeting was held to devise means to stop
the spread of the contagion. The proceed
ings Of that meeting were published in the
San Francisco journals, but they were
toned down to a moderate degree, for fear
of affecting the usual winter and spring
tide OF immigration. People seem dispos>
ed to cover up the fearful ravages Of the
disease and to conceal its deadly character
The streets are filed with funerals, and
the grave digger has his hands and graves
full. In some cases burials are made by
night.
Despite every precaution the ccntagion
remains as deadly as ever. and though it
can scarcely be said to be increasing, its
houses are full Fathers aud children,
mothers, brothers and sisters expire daily,
and nearly every person in the city has lost
some acquaintance Or relative. The Chi
nese have suffered terribly Their native
doctors have neither experience or com
mon sense in the treatment of the small
pox, and as natural consequence three
out of every five of their patients run into
eternity.
Bat the rovages of the epidemic are not
confined to San Fr ncisco. Nearly the
whole state is infected, and some towns
have been decmated by the pestilence
Thus far, Sacramento, Marysvile and
Stockton have >caped the malignant type
of the disorder, but it has run through the
lower counties Of the state like murraip
In GilrOv and Los Angeles the disease has
been fatal beyond precedent and San Fran
cisco can be called reasonably healthy
when its death rate is compared with those
OF the former towns. Some Of those af
iected appear to rot BY inches, in spite of
every available prescription. The ply sici-
ans stand aghast. In some cases vaccina-
ton seems TO have entirely lost its power
and men, women and children with vaccine
sears on their arms as large as twenty shil-
ling pieces have fallen victims to the epi>
demic. Hospitalsihave been hastily furnish
ed and every effort has been made 10 these
towns to stay the progress Of the disease,
but thus far with but little effect. Whole
families have died. In one instance faith
er and four children died within twenty
four hours, and In . hotel at Los Ange
les nine persons were buried within a
week.
But the plague spot of the state thus far
has been the town of San Juan, in Monte
rey county, some one hundred miles from
San Francisco. The town contains about a
thousand persons. The alarming accounts
of the mOrtaary in San Francisco and Git
ory excited some apprehension, and an
effort was made to prevent the appearance
OF the epidemic in San Juan. A man came
down from the grapeogrowing district. of
Sonoma county, and registered his name at
the hotel. When questioned con cerning
the small pcX IN the north he ackuowl-
edged its fatal virulepec and said that, fear
ing he might catch it, he had taken the
pcfcautlon to be vaccinated before leaving
home. In twenty-tour hours his arm
swelled to the size of his body, and was
covered with gangrenous sores. An exam
inaton by the physicians resulted in the
discovery of the fact that the man had ac
tua y been innoculated with the most NAL
ignant type of the small pox.
lie died a sickenlng mass Of putre6ca>
ton, within forty-eieht hours, and vas
buried at midnight. Steps were taken on
the instant to prevent the spread of the
disease. The dead mans blankets, under
clothes, and outer garments, were burned
but, unfortunately, some school children
discovered the half burned rags, and caught
the infection. La one week numbers Of
them died and the epidemic obtained
firm foothold in San Juan. Out of a pop
ulatlon Of one thousand, four hundred were
taken down with the smallpox, ana of
these four hundred per ons one hundred
and sixty died.
This is a fearful rate of mortality, and [
doubt wheather the annals of this loath-
some disease can surDass it. In some cOun.
try towns, away from the reach of skiIlful
doctors, and where the proper medicines
are scarce, two-thirds of the cases prove
fatal. Throughout the state the mortality
has been Unprecedented
L have thought it my duty to give your
readers this Information because of the
disposition Throughout California to keep
tue whole thing Is quiet as possible. 1t is
proper that people intending to come to
California from the States should be made
acquainted with the facts, and [ send them
to you earnestly hopeing that you will
place them before your readers. The
truth has been too long concealed.
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