, 1878-02-23
THE sO.CALLED SHALL POX.
statement OF the VisiiIng Physicians.

statement OF the ylSitins Physicians.
DIR. FLINT, on small por-Flint's prac-
tice, page Sol ''The duration of the stage
Of invasion is from two to four days the
stage of eruption, about five days; the
stage of suppuration, four or five days
the stage of desication from SIX to ten
days, making the duration of the disease
in cases Of recovery, from seventeen to
twenty-four days.
DR.. FLINT, on rdriccild- -" The veslcu-
lar character Of the eruption from the
start is characteristic Of varlcella. In
varioloid the yesicles are preceded by
papules in varioloid and ordinary small
poI, the eruption appears at once, and
especially on the face.
varicella, it appearsfrst on the body
and is apt to appear more abundant else
where than on the face. A capital dag
nostic point relates to the central depres-
sion or umbilicated appearance in varlola,
and is wanting i'll varlcelia An attack OF
yaricel!s Is no protection against Small
pox nor is vaccination against varlceiia
Fiint's practice, page 81: Cake a
quotation from page S76, Flint. "Expe-
riments made to determine its communl-
cability, by incubation have frequently.
if not invariably, failed The period OF
incubation lin chicken pox) varies from
twelve to seventeen days. Writers have
instituted several varieties, based on the
differences as regards the SIZE and shape
of the yesicles. The ordinary variety, IN
which the yesic!es are about the size OF
snlit peas and flattened at the top, has
been distinguished as teuticuiaI chicken
po1. The varictycalled varicella aconlformls,
Is characterized by the conoidal form Of
the yesicles, (cone shaped Faricella
globuloris is the name OF a variety IN
which the vesicles are unusually large and
globular in form
In all cases in which physician is called
ON to diagnose, or determine the charac-
ter and properly name disease, he has
to make respectable authorities his guide,
to point the various symptoms character
istic Of those diseases, somewhat similar
I'm general feature marks, and the dis
tinguishing symptoms, which are our
diagnostic signs, pointing (as a guide
board) to a name adapted by universal
consent of the profession. Such was our
plain duty in those reported cases of small
po1, near Mr.. Joseph Harhert, on Mill
creek Accordingly, we examined those
convalescing cases carefully, and examined
Mrs. Woolf and Mrs Harman, touching
the two then dead, and others quite well,
and become satisfied of the identity Of
the disease, viz: Chicken pox in its three
forms, and so reported verbally to Mr..
Newell, and by written report to the board
of health. But the report to the board
of health, containing but few details, was
not satisfactory We, therefore, have pro
cured the sworn statements OF Mrs. Har-
man, Mrs. Woolf and Mrs. Rebecca
Rifle, which are here appended Those
sworn statements, with the medical au-
thorities, constitute our case before the
public and health board.
"Whether these gentlemen Drs. Good
win, Boyd and McCurdy) were actuated
by selfish motives in making such report,
or were totally ignorant of the disease,
leave the public to Judge"
Dr. BINGHAM
The authors quoted and sworn testi
mony submitted, squarely places said DR..
Bingham at Issue with them. and not with
us. Let the learned gentleman settle these
little discrepancies with medical authors
and turn leaf to meet opposing state,
ments made by themselves, and reconcile
and susar-coat until the public receive il
.as truth, and then he can with more
consistency charge US with insincerity OF
ignorance. The most reasonable construc-
ton We can put on the strange conduct Of
Dr. Bingham is that there was dark spot
IL the treatment of Mrs Harbert, which
he wishes to conceal, and raises contro,
versy in order to cover some things fatal
in their effects on the gentleman future
prospects. This kind hearted woman
had ministered to the wants of the
sick had dressed the corpse of the child
that had died first in fact had been ex-
posed to the disease week before | was
called first" This soft blarney was III
tended as a kind of mental soothing suur
for the car of Mr.. Joseph Harbert, to
keep his mind from dwelling on question
able practice, which the mind (if alive to
the finer feelings of humanity dwells on
with uncomfortable remembrances.
L. ii. GOODWIN, NJ D.,
j. d. McCURDY, NJ D.,
j. NJ BOYD, NJ. d.