Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-08-01

Nlueteenth Century.l
How smallpox first arose among men
it is difficult to conjecture. 1t has been
supposed hat it may have been original
ly derived from some disease of the
camel. Its history leads to settled belief
that, while few persons are not readily
susceptible OF it, it never occurs now ex-
cept from contagion. 1t does not an
pear TO have been known in Europe tin
the eighth century. No mention Of any
such disease is to be found in the Greek
aud Roman authors of antiquity. Now,
whatever may have been the deficiencies
OF these ancient physicians, they were
excellent observers and capital desert.
bers of disease; and it seems to be
scarcely possible hat a disease 80 diAu-
sive, and marked by characters so def.
mite and conspicuous, should have es-
capped their notice, or, il known, should
have obscurely portrayed in their wri-
ting. On the other hand, Mr.. Moore, In
his learned aad interesting History Of
Small Pox," has shown hat it prevailed
in Chin@ and Hindoostan from a yery
early period-even more than one thous.
and years before the advent OF our Sa-
vlor. That it did not sooner make lis
way westward into Persia, and thence
lnto Greece, may be attributed partly TO
the horror which the complaint every
where inspired, and the attempts which
were consequently made to check its
progress by prohibiting all communica.
tons with the sick, and partly tn the
limited intercourse whicA took place
among the Eastern nations, but priuci
pally to the peculiar position of the re-
giOns through which the infection was
distributed, separated as they we're from
the rest of the world by immense deserts
aud by tina ocean. The disease is said
to have broken out in Arabia, at the
siege Of Mecca, in the year in which No
manned vas born, /. e., in the latter half
OF the sixth century. It was widely
propagated by his wars and by those Of
the Arabs afterwards; and it is generally
believed 10 have first found entrance into
Europe at the time Of the overthrow OF
The Gothic monarchy in Spain by the
Moors, when TO avenge the weLlknown
outrage upon his daughter, Count Ju.
lian called the invaders" Whensoever
and wheresoever it came, it spread with
fearful rapidity and havoc. What is
worthy Of special remark is this, that
while almost all men are prone to take
the disorder, large portions Of the world
have remained for centuries entirely free
from il, until at length it was imported,
and that it thea infallibly difused and
established itself in those parts. OF the
more modern history Of the disease our
knowledge is more precise and sure. II
tends uniformly to the same conclusion
There was no smallpox in the New
World before its discovery by Columbus
in 1892. In 1917, the disease was i'm.
ported in Santo Domingo. Three years
later, in one Of the Spanish expeditions
from Cuba TO Mexico, o negro covered
with the postules of smallpox was land.
ed the Mexican coast. From him the
disease spread with such deselation that
within o very short time, according Ia
Robertson, 3,500,000 people we're de
etroyed within that kingdom alone.
Smallpox was introduced into Iceland
in 1907, when 10000 persons we're car.
ried of by its rayages-more than q
fourth part Of the whole population OIL
the ireland. 1t reached Greenland still
later, appearing there for the FIRST time
In 1873, and spreading go fatally az to
almost depopulate the country. Evi
dence 10 the same effect is furnished by
results Of vaccination in some countries
To take one instance: Vaccination was
adopted in Denmark in 1901, and made
compulsory. From that time smallpox
disappeared altogether for fifteen years
whereas during the twelve years proceed
ing tho Introduction Of the ~preyentiv,
disorder, upward Of three thousand per
boas died Of the smallpox in Copenha
gen alone,