National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-03-07
Small POx...Old and New Remedies.

: especially small pox, spread more
O the winter season (Which, in other r,
n spects, is the healthiest time of I'll
0 year. when the cold destroys the mia
: mata which flourish in tropical cline
r and, in hot summers, sometimes visit
portions of the temperate zone. Br
4 inorderto explain this apparent anomal
, we have only to consider that in winte
; n large number of the lower classes o
people huddle together in ill.ventilate
rooms, in order to shelter themselve
against the cold. OF course this is ia
, vorable to the growth of .miasmata
which only need suitable conditions b
propagate themselves. Microscopic
have succeeded in tracing the origin o
many contagious to parasitic growth
either vegetable or ANIMAL and it is no
mpr1 bable that this will ultimately b'
the case with all, the denial of man,
me lcal authorities Notwithstanding
1t Mould be kept in view that, formerly
equally high authorities used to deny
most peremptorily, to several diseases
the origin which is now, beyond the
shadow of a doubt, proved to be the
true one, namely, the growth of ami
malculm or vegetable parasites. II
should also be considered that the fact
of not finding such, in certain cases, is
only Il negative proof they may be
there and the investigator may have
failed to find them; but other searchers
in course of time and with instruments
more perfect than we possess at present,
or by help of an improved moduS
O1)crandi, will undoubtedly discover
them. Microscopic investigation has
only just commenced to be applied in
medicine, and the most advanced ply
sicians know now that it is one of the
most powerful helps i'll medical dag
nosis.
Eruptive feve~s are diseases of the
blood; they probably originate in a
kind Of catalytic poison in the system
which may be result of parasitic
growth, as is the case with fermentation
and many other chemical changes.
However, the future will decide the
question definitely; in the meantime
we must observe, use our best judg-
ment, and apply all the light, as far as
the present state of science allows, to
combat this class of diseases, among
virulent, loathsome and dangerous. In
order to be fully convinced of this, one
has only to visit a small pox hospital
and see this interesting disease in allits
stages.
In regard to the effectiveness of the
protection afforded by vaccination, the
statistics show that this discovery,
made by Jenner more than n century
ago, had the most startling influence in
staying the smallpox ravages Of that
time, and it kept the nations who ac-
cepted it comparatively free the ex-
periance of the physicians of the pres
ent day tends in the same direction,
and all doubt fostered by some in re-
gard to it's effectiveness proceeds solely
from want of acquaintance with the
facts, which are overwhelming in proof
of its great value to the human race.
AS the health and longevity of vacci-
mated persons is on the general average
equal to that of others who escape the
smallpox without vaccination, there
can be no serious objection on that
ground. The rule, laid down by some,
that persons must be vaccinated every
seven years is totally arbitrary and
without any foundation whatsoever
different individuals will differ greatly
in this respect, and, in order to be safe,
it is well to try if vaccination will
" take " in case any danger is appre-
hended, even if it has been applied
only three or four years ago. If no
epidemic is prevailing and the person
is exposed to no danger, it is needless
to revaccinate every seven years ten
years or more may elapse, and we have .
known individuals who undoubtedly, by
4 single effective vaccination in child
hood have been protected for their whole
ives.
In regard to the treatment, it must
De kept i'll view that here, as in all erup-
i've fevers, it must have its course and
,annot be cut short without robbing
he patient entirely of his chance of es-
ape. Careful guarding against taking
odd, good nursing the mildest possible
liet, and abstience from irritating food
md remedial agents similarly objection
lble are the first necessities of small
,oX cases.
The latest medical journals recon-
mend two new remedies, which expert
nee has proved to be beneficial. DIR.
ievillod, of Geneva, recommends gly-
erin as an exterior applications this, |
Trough its soothing action, diminishes t
he intensity of the eruption. He mix {
s 1t with soap and some mercural ONT |
nent. Dr. Carl Nagel, Royal Chance /
)r of Health in Berlin, recommends
ylol /; he has administered this inter v
ally in eighty cases, thirty six of which c
ad the smallpox in its worst form, t
nd only four died, which is n better
esult than that of any other remedy Il
lus far known. Xylol, or xylen, is a
ne of the hydrocarbons obtained by p
ne distillation of coal tar, wood tar, or 6
burmese Petroleum, has the antiseptic
roperties of carbolic acid from coal, u
nd of creosote from wood IL
1t is well-known that many derivatives a
enzol, of tar, creosote, corbolic acid ~
'luol, xylol, etc, are all poisons e,
n small organic growths, either Il
egetable or animal; that they, for in ct
ance, at once destroy fermentation by
ling the microscopic yeast plant : p
is also known that mercurials are es- IN
eclally poisonous to parasites of all Il
nds, especially animal ones. These
NEEDLES now appear to be effective in in
nall-pox, and this raises the very nc
''ural question if it is notan argument pr
+ the probability of the theory that I'll
is disease also is due to morbid or
mic growth, perhaps in the blood it. in
If, which produces that violent fever, pt
tn the symptoms of pain, nausea, iii
=, and finally works itself ont through CT
e skin and mucous membrane by a pc
pious eruption, which is often strong IN
ough to destroy the skin like so many
ms, and sometimes even so violentb st
to destroy the life of the patient, in su
e same way as an extensive scaldinc pc
-. l.