Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-04-30


noticed an article purporting to come from
TIE pen OF Juel Foster, Jr., first selectman
of Montpelier, entitled - An Explanation. !"
Now that small pox is among the things
that were in our village, it is undesirable
that the public prints should be occupied in
discussing the cupabllity of physicians or
ffcials, but as Mr. Foster has, through the
medium of the press, assailed DR.. Chandler
and myself, justice demands that light be
allowed to shine on both sides of the Qucs-
ton.
When first called to see Mrs. Clark, a
doubt arose in my mind as to the nature Of
the disease, but after the most careful exami-
cation OF the case, was unable to satisfy
myself that it was other than chicken pox );
nevertheless, to insure the family against
contingencies, | vaecinated the entire house
hold, including neighbors who were there.
and who had been there. 1t [ had not ex-
pressed a doubt at this early stage of the
disease, whence would have originated the
report of smallpox? Why in this case more
than in many other cases Of chicken-pox In
our town the past winter? To satl sly myself
| [ called DR.. Chandler to see the case. He
concurred in my opinion, that, until more
marked symptoms Of yarlolold appeared, it
would be unjustlfable to pronounce it such.
Mr. Foster in his . Explanation " says
that he called at my Office several times, and
that read him the authority on the disease.
So | did, giving him as a public officer, all
the Information that I could, aud the public
through him, the benefit of the doubt.
Perhaps it may be interesting to your
readers to know something of the literature
as relates to diagnosis, on the disease il
question.
George B. Wood, NJ. d. Professor of thu
Theory and Practice of Medicine in the
University Of Penns lvania, President OF tn
College of Physicians. Philadelphia, and on
Of the authors OF the Dispensatory of the
United States of America, says: " The mos
experienced physicians are sometimes deceiv
! ed. Between cert ain cases of varioloid an
chicken pox, there is absolutely no observ
able difference
" Indeed, | have occasionally met Will
cases during the prevalence of smallpox, il
relation to which it was impossible 10 decid
with certainty whether they were chicken
pox or variolod -
Austin Flint, NJ. D., Professor of til
Principles and Practice of Medicine in th
Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New
York, and the Long Island College Hospi
tai, Brooklyn, and Fellow of the New Yor
Academy of Medicine, etc, says, % Althoug
pathologically distinct, it must be confesse
thas the discrimination of chicken pox fro1
varloloid is not a ways easy.
TEE two affections are liable to be con
! founded Cases of variolod are not nfre
: quentIy, at first, called chicken-pox, and cic
t cersa."
. John Hughes Bennett VI. D., Z. r. S E
Professor Of the Institutes Of Medicine, an
Senior Profession of clinical med cine in th
c University OF Edinburgh, says: "Sometime
J smallpox occurs epidemically in remark
2 ably benign form. 1t then presents all til
e characters described By some authors as va
b lioloid Occasionally it occurs twice, or bt
e comes what is called recurrent, and it ha
e been known to arise frequently after vacc
: nation. La all these circumstances, whe
r mil ]. it so resembles ch;ckeo-pox as not t
IF be distinguished from it
|. These opinions are only few, of the man
&c that might be cited. Mr.. Foster says in b
J. Explanation, 81 now at this late day they de
Re clare they always had doubts as to what
was
~ According to his statement this is correc
If quote his own words concerning our fir
of interview; 'sI did not Ike his expressio,
e of uncertainty" Then again " both do
70 tors called at my Office. Here was still {
10 expression of doubt Thus he proves the
ID was doubt early in the disease.
e The question is asked, why were Mr.. Clal
~ and daughter allowed to come and 90 VIII,
they pleased? Simply because in our jud,
, ment no harm could arise from so doing FL
. the result proved our judgment faulty?
@ The young lady who went to Norshfe
Or was repeatedly admonished to remain at NJ
a. Clark until it was fully determined VIII
Dc the disease was. Is it the duty of physical
n to stand guard at the street corners to e
force compliance l have yet 20 learn th