Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1878-02-01

HE SMALL-P0X.-hOW smallpox
first arose among men it is difficult to
conjecture. II has been supposed that
il may have been originally derived
from some disease in the camel. It's
history leads to the settled belief that,
while few persons are not readily sus-
ceptlble Of it. il never occurs now ex-
cept from contagion. IL does not APP
pear TO have been known in Europe till
the beginning of the eighth century.
No mention of any such disease is to be
found in the Greek or Roman authors of
antiquity. Now, whatever may have
been the deficiencies of these ancient
physicians. they were excellent observ-.
ers and capital DISORDERS Of disease;
and il seems TO me scarcely possible
that disorder so difFusiye. and marked
by characters so definite and conspicu-
Gus, should have escaped their notice,
or if known. should have been obscure
ly portrayed in their writings.
On the other hand, Mr.. Moore, in his
learned and interesting History OF
SMALLPOX" has shown that it prevailed
in China and Hindostan from very
early period-even more than 1000
years before the advent of our Saviour.
That il did not sooner make its way
westward into Persia. and thence into
Greece, may be attributed partly to the
horror which the complaint every where
inspired, and the attempts which were
consequently made to check its pro-
gress by prohibiting all communication
with the sick, partly TO the limited in
tercourse which then took place among
the Eastern nations, but principally to
the peculiar position OF the regions
through which the infection was distri-
buted, separate as they were from the
rest of the world by immense deserts
and by The ocean. The disease is said
to have broken out in Arabia at the
seige of Mecca, in the year in which
Mohammed was born, {. e., in the latter
half Of the sixth century. twas wide
ly propagated by his wars, and by those
Of the Arabs aiterward; and it is gener:
ally believed to have first found en-
trance into Europe at the time of the
overthrow of the Gothic monarchy in
Spain by the Moors, when, to avenge
the well-known outrage upon his daugh-
ter, "Count Julian called the invaders"
Whensoever and wheresoeveritcame,
IL spread with fearful rapidity and havoc.
What is worthy Of special remark is this:
That while almost all men are prone 20
take the disorder, large portions oil the
world have remained for centuries en-
tirely free from it, until at length it was
imported, and that it then infalDibly diff
fused and established itself in those
parts. OF the more modern history OF
the disease our knowledge Is more pre-
else and sure. II tends uniformly TO
the same conclusion. r
There was no smallpox in the New
World before its discovery by Column
bus in 1892. In 1917 the disease was
imported into Santo Domingo. Three
years later, in one of the Spanish ex-
petitions from Cuba to Mexico, negro,
covered with the pustules of smallpox.
was landed on the Mexican coast.
From HIM the disease spread with such
desolation shat within q very short
time, according to Robertson. $780,
900 people were destroyed within that
kingdom alone.
Smallpox was introduced into Ice
land in 17O7, when is, 900 persons were
carried off by its ravages-more than
fourth part of the whole population of
the island. Ii reached Greenland still
later, appearing there for the first time
in 1888, and spreading so fatally as al
most TO depopulate the country.
Evidence to the same effect is fur
nished BY the results Of vaccination in
some countries. To take one instance:
Vaccination was adopted in Denmark
in 1901. and made compulsory In 1910.
From that time small-po disappeared
altogether for fifteen years, whereas,
during the twelve years preceding the
introduction of the preventive disorder
upward of 5000 persons died of the
smallpox in Copenhagen alone.