The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1872-12-12
The Small Pox.

slonal appearance III smaller places, with
the consequent alarm, call for Il better
understanding of its history, symptoms
and treatment than generally prevails
1t will be found that, like most sources OF
alarm, it's terrors decrease upon q better
acquaintance.
Small pox first made its appearance
about the date of the birth OF Mahomet,
in the year 500 of the Christian era. Some
writer's have held that the plaques of the
ancients were identical with this disorder,
but it is hardly probable that disorder
so peculiar and strongly marked could
escaped particular description. Appear
ing in the Mohammedan army which
occupied Mecca, the disorder spread with
the course of the new religion, CARRYING
alarm and death into all portions of the
known world.
The period of incubation of small pox,
or time that elapses between contagion
and the appearance of the disease, is usu-
ally fourteen days. The symptoms at
first are like those of fever-chills, with
pains in the head and back, and vomiting.
SO closely do these resemble the svmp-
toms of typhoid and other fevers, that
physicians do not like to state that cases
are or are not small pox until the erup-
tons occur. These appear first on the
face, about the third day of the fever, and
afterwards all over the person. These
pustules are sometimes so numerous rs to
run together, when the disease is styled
continent, and is very dangerous. The
eighth day of the eruption is usually the
crisis of the disease, after which surviving
patients slowly recover.
The small pox has been found to be less
severe and fatal when introduced into the
system by incubation than when taken in
the ordinary way, and for q long time the
best security against its ravages was had
by introducing the disorder into the system
in this way, after preparatory course Of
diet. The mortality in the Sc attacked in
the ordinary way is estimated at one
fourth or one fifth of the whole; but in
those inocnlated it is reduced to one in six
or seven hundred. The small pox is not
only contagious disorder, but it is at
times an epidemic, Or of general preva-
lence. owing to some conditions not well
1t is now prevailing as an
epidemic in the Northern and Eastern
portions of the United States The small
pox has nowhere been SO fatal as among
the populous Indian tribes of the West,
where it is said to have been introduced
by white men whose friends had been
1t swept whole tribes to de-
dead and dying Indians cover
ing the prairies about their town.
AT length protection from this dreaded
disease was found in vaccination, by DR.
Edward .Jenner, to whom the race owes
an everlasting debt of gratitude. It is
now almost n hundred years since Jenner,
a medica, practitioner in Worcestershire,
England, made this great discovery. He
was giving special attention to the study
Of small poX, when he became aware Of
the fact that the dairy maids of the neigh
borhood had taken mud eruptive dis
order from the udders of the cows that
they mllkeI, which made sores upon their
hands-and that thereafter these women
could not take small pox. Jenner applied
himself at once to the study of the subject,
and in short time became convinced that
he had made a discovery Of the greatest
Importance to the human race. He vacci-
mated his son, a boy of six years, and
exposed him to the small poX with no i'll
effects. Another boy Of eight years of
age, was vaccinated from pustule on
the hand of a milk-maid, and afterwards
inoculated twenty times with small pox
matter without effect
DR.. Jenner encountered the fate that
awaits all benefactors of his kind. When
he announced in London the discovery
that he had made after 50 much patient
study, the profession assailed him as at
tempting to bestialize mankind by intro
ducing into their systems diseased matter
from cows. The pulpit denounced the
practice as diabolical. and the most mon
strous tales concerning it were circulated
and believed. He returned home, not
wholly discouraged, and continued his ex-
periments At length he convinced one
London surgeon of the value of the pro-
lection by vaccination, and that surgeon
introduced it successfully. The reaction
in favor of Jenner was sudden and great
Seventy three of the most eminent practi-
TONERS signed a certificate of confidence
in his discovery, and thousands were vac
In 1902 Parliament voted him
ten thousand pounds sterling, and in 1907
twenty thousand additional. Foreign
countries did honors and made gifts to the
great discoverer. So highly was he es-
teemed that during the wars of Napoleon
his simple letter Of request addressed to
the emp error procured the release of Eng
lish prisoners when government diplo-
macy had failed. Travellers who bore
his letters of recommendation were sure
of kind treatment in all countries.
The hope that vaccination would afford
and permanent protection from
small pox has not been realized 1t has
been found that those who had been once
thoroughly vaccnated are still liable to
attacks, although in the modified form
called varioloid. The degree of protec-
ton and period of duration vary with diff
ferent individuals. With some it lasts
through life, while with others it appears
to wear out and need renewal But there
is no doubt of the fact that re-vaccination
once in seven or eight years will afford
all needed protection, And it is the duty
of the heads of families to see that all I'M
der their charge are cared for in this re-
spect. The milder form, known as vario-