Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-02-05
Concerning Smallpox.
No., W., T..


Smallpox. or variola, has grown 10 be very
common of late, prevailing alike In town and
country, but usually with more virUlence there
In consequence OF insufficient knowled ye aud
means OF treating It. One Of the most formlda
BILE OF the class or febrlle diseases known as ex-
anthemaia, IL has, In all regular cases. three
distinct stageS-that OF the initial, or erupllve
fever; that OF the progress and maturation OF
the specific eruption, and that OF the decline.
The first stage begins with rigors, followed by
heat, dry ness of the skin. quickened pulse fur
red tongue, loss OF appetite pain in pit OF stom-
ach and elsewhere, headache. nausea, and
vomiting. Commissions often accompany man
ifestations OF the disorder IN children, and
sometimes delirlum Ia adults on The third
day minute red spots come out nrst Oh the
face, then on the neck, wrists and trunk and
finally On the lower eXtremitles The fever gen
orally begins 10 subside as soon as the eruption
shows ITSELF and by the nth day has entirely
disappeared. The second stage is reached
when the eruption is fully out. I'ne second or
third day OF the eruption little clear lymph Is
seen In each pimple, which has so Increased as
10 become a Vesicie. The veSicle5 gradually
broaden, and turn TO pustules; the suppuration
or the face and elsewhere being complete about
tie eighth day after the setting in OF the fever
The pustuies then break, scabS form over them
and fall of iD four or rlve DAYS. the number OF
pGStuleS III any special case aud the severity OF
the disease standing In a direct ratio to one
announcer. IEe progress OF the pustuie5 Is usually
accompanied with swelling OF the skin OF tue
race, with painful sensation OF neat au | ten
sion; the scalp is often swell IN sore nou Il and
salvation superyene, and the patient exhales
a peculiarly dlsagreeable oder. Aclut he eig1 b
or ninth day a recurrence OF the FEVER KIN pwn
as the fever OF maturation, occurs with varying
intensity, according TO the number ard DIS
posal OF the pustules. When these are many,
they run together; when few, they keep apart
Hence the division OF small poX into CON-
fluent and distinct-the latter being hardly ever
dangerous, and the former never free from
danger The third or declining stage is In the
distinct sense, little more than period of con-
vafeScence. About the eleventh or twelfth day
the facial pustules become brown and dry at
the top; some OF them break, and the exuding
fluid sOlidit1es into yellow crust. From that
time the drying process goes on; the faca!
swelling subsidies. and. al last dry scabs alone
remain. These fall Off about the fourteenth
day, and those on other parts OF the body by
the twenty-firSt day. They leave behind red
dish brown biotches, which sometimes continue
for months Some OF the puStules, from ulce-
ration OF the true skin leave pits, especially on
The face, which remain permanently. The en-
tire course OF case OF distinct smallpox occu-
pies about three weeks. In the continent form
the eruptive fever is more violent the pain in
the back severer, the sickness more obstinate
and the eruption earlier aud less regular In ap-
pearance. Statistics prove that the eighth day
OF the eruption is the most perilOus day aud
the second week the most perilOus week. Death
during the first week denotes peculiar malig-
nancy In the disease.