The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-20
x = I Q Z.
A NEW SPECIFIC FOR SMALLPOX,
The LOathesOme COntagiOD
Conquered.
Interesting Discovery and Experiments BY .
German Doctor-The Herald Correspondent
Has q Talk with the Great Human
Bensfactor-The Hopes and Anx-
Ieties for the Future.

leties for the Future.
BERLIN, Feb. 8, 1872.
SMALLPOX RAvAGEs
throughout this Continent, and especially in this
metropolis, where during 1871 the number Of deaths
from this loahsome disease exceeded 1900, gatner-
ing victims from all ranks OF society," ana has natu
rally prompted physicians search energetlcally the
realm OF their art for remedies check the disease
In It's course, instead OF merely supporting the pa
tient as the practice has been hitherto. The most
successful OF the Jealous Escuapians In the search.
whose opportunities for experimenting and 0bserv-
Ing are OF the BEST he being the chief director OF the
smallpox department In the Royal Charlie, we have
FASTENED to interview in order to obtain the I'm
portant facts concerning his discovery.
THE HAPPY DIsCOvERER.
DR.. W. Zuelzer. a native OF Breslau, middle-aged,
medium height. capital physique and broad, heavy
German face and brow, received US very politely
and ar once expressed his readiness to favor us
with the desired Information.
"wel, Doctor, we are informed that you are the
discOverer OF TINS new smallpox remedy, .Xylol.'"
"Not discoverer, sir; the agent has long oeen
known. simply am the drst VINO has applied lttn
the treatment OF disease, ana, acknowledge, It is
creating some attention. as you may see by these
several letters Of inquiry from London. Southamp-
ton, Paris, &C."
"But, Doctor, you speak OF this xylOl as o long
known agent. This medical gentleman from South
amptOn inquiries as to It's nature, whether animal,
vegetable or mineral"
"Well. here, you sec 1t In this book; and also in
this handbook on chemistry, published In 1850.
BY disabling oil Of tar you obtain at 81 degrees
GELS. bensol; at ITO degrees tou0l; at l4o degrees
Zylo, and at ZIG degrees xylOdln. The xyl0l. AZ
numerous experiments l have made upon ANIMALS
have convinced me, Is readily absorbed by the sys-
EN-. Taken even In moderate doses for some
eighteen or twenty hours its complete diffusion
manests Itself In the breath, the urine, the exhala-
lions Of the skin. It's peculiar efrect is owing to
property 1t has oil combining with the virus IN the
blood and forming 2 salt, which Is harmessly
"would not toluol nave similar enectn
"Not III ali; IT lacks the necessary annity. Xyl0l
alone mas the desired effect and must be prepared
with great accuracy"
'Do you prepare IL Yourself Doctorr'
''NO; get 1t IRON the chemical works Of Scheer-
ing & Co., IN It's necessary purity"
Eat what stage OF lhe disease 10 you think 1t best
to administer ltF"
'The sooner the better"
"Wnat doses do you prescribe fn
ITO adults ten 70 nfteen drops every two or three
hours; to children from three tive drops. No In
furious effects have been observed wnere larger
OF geialne, containing three, nve or ten DROPS it
may also be taken IN wine or water. Inc treatment
continues until the postuies are perfectly dry"
RESULTS DETAINED.
"NOw. Doctor, how ABOUT the success"
Here the Doctor land hold OF an immense pile Of
returns from his department In the Cnarte, Lnat
vast asylum IN when are treated the SICK OF all
parts OF me CITY and stale, anu went ON ~ show
was tried, all OF winch lasted from twenty 10.
now SAID the Doctor, '.with the new treat
ment we nave cut down the duration OF disease
| TO ten or eleven da,s. Inc diphthera, denrious-
disease very materially lessened and entirely
oDvlated IA the most OF cases. Even the pltung rs
''These are splendid results, Doctor, and must
give great satislacton."
| II nope to Improve on this, however; expect
| yet to succeed IN combining other elements wisn
xyl0l AMI obtain something more satisfactory. In
i deed, am not prepared, ana did not expect TO
bring this before the pubic now, as am stii busy
| Win observations and experiments"
THE SWAY OF THE EPIDEMIC
| "ls smallpox sui raging as badly as ever9''
| ave have at present, 90 cases day and 100
per week, ana even quite recently from lao to
| $50. Previous to the war the deaths from smallpox
| throughout Germany were 0aly IA per week. Here,
In Berlin the average was from Two Tour. During
the entIre month ol December 1859, Berlin had 90
cases, OF when 10 proved iatal. In the week pre-
from smallpox. Here had none 10 speaK or
Though the stationary figure Is now 100 deaths per
week. after every cold spell we observe o mara "a
increase, which Is DUE no doubG, the fact that
people nuddle together and keep doors aud windows
the beginning Of every month. and especially At the
beginning OF quarters This Is owing to the
here-belng not vaccinated, they soon become In.
fected. The disease Is
All classes OF society are reached by 1t. I have
several nODleInen LII my department. The TACT Is
that hotels Will neither admit nor keep any body
who Is attacked. lhe character 0f disease seems
70 grow mIder. Only from SIX to seven per cent ara
oil the black smallpox, ana these all die."
THE NEED OF VACCINATION.
"Do you consldeg vaccination necessary, Doc
torYn
..Most certainly. The records show That only
three per cent OF the properly vaccInated are al
tackled A very large percentage 0r the sick have
never been vaccinated. There are scarcely any
Y
ana typhoid so viOentiy raging since the war we
are indebted to French neglect OF hygiene laws.n
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. CONSIDERATIONS.
swell, Doctor, one word more. What OF the con.
sequent effects OF This dreaded scourge upon the
pOpulationW
at is a matter Of the utmost Importance 70 ma
lona wealth. You have 70 consider that Its victims
mostly persons In the prime VI life; widows ana
orphans are thrown upon public charity, and, what
Is still worse, those who recover SUBJECT In alter
LIE, to complicated diseases OF the lungs, eyes. &C.,
6eget slckly offspring, die early, and thus lm-
mensely swell pauperlsm.
LOOK at Sliesia where twenty years ago, the
poor and mserably-led weavers were decmated by
yphus. she has not yet overcome the effects OF
pOx. In Snesla, this very day, weak and sicK,y
generation Is rising which furnishes the army worse
material than any other province. You see the I'M
p0rtance OF Timely sanitary measures"
al perceive, Doctor, tndt you are ACQUAINTED with
the Workings OF the New York Metropolitan Board
Of Health. WHAT Is your opinion OF iJ2 How does
1t compare with the similar institutions OF this
citySp
Here the Doctor shrugged his shoulders, and for
the first time begged permission not to answer.
Expressing our gratitude for this willingly I'M
parted Information, which less dislnterested
factor OF humanity would very likely nave with
held, especially IN the land OF patents and m-
proyements,n We bade the amlaule and rising
savanL go0dby.