The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-12-06
THE SMALL POX.

There is sn old story 10 the effect that
awsy back in the dim past the plague upon
entering a large Asiatic city was met at the
gate by a Dervish who inquired its mission.
"To kill FIVE thousand people," replied the
plague. When it left the city after accom-
plishing its mission, it again met the Dor
wish. who said to il: allow is this; you told
me YOU would kill five thousand people and
ysu have slain one hundred thousane?' al
kept my word, " re.ort"d the plsgue, II de-
stroyed five thousaIs, ous lear killed The
| rest" The neral of this fable is to keep cool
and not get excited in the presence of con-
tagious or epidemic diseases. The small pox
10 invading the Territory, and may probably
visit every city, town and amp in it, but
there 10 no occasion for undue fear or excite
ment in combating the disease. Certain
precautions, which we have already nell
toned, should be observed and She danger of
its spreading will be imrnessurs5ly dimin-
ished. But should it make its appearance in
u household the following suggestions which
we take frsm the Helena Independent are all
worthy Of attention:
"The California Board of Healtb, composed
of eminent physicians, recently Issued a cir
cular in regard to small eex precautions and
disinfectants, which We will briefly sum
marie for the benefit Of our reader They
hold that vaccination, while its effects remain
in the system, furnishes as perfect immunity
from tile disease as a previous attack Of small
poX Itself. Re-vaccinSiion is recommended
for safety every eight or ten years, and the
vaccine nlstL-r used should be Of known
purisy. II should never be obtajred from the
arms of persons re-vaccinGscd, and in 40 case
should 10 taken from slult'. Even when
small pox is raging Ms al epidemic, VACCINE
tion should al ouce he Iesurtrd 10, as it re-
q'lirrs usually twelve dsystroln the reception
Of the contsgiou into ths system betors it
manifesto itselfiu foyer, and fourteen days
before eruption begins, while it only requires
three or four days for the protective or an
ACOUSTIC power of vaccination 10 assert it
self. They highly recommend bovine virus,
or that taken directly from the cow, but re-
gard the humanized virus taken from the
arus of a hea thy child as equally etiieacieus.
The board strongly urges perfect isolation Of
the sick. No attic ndant or physician should
see anyone else without first changing their
clothing and thorough disinfecsion. Al! OK
posed to the ceItagiun should st once be IA
ysccin2ied. COnvaLescent pate nts shonld
not he allowed to 60 cut until the crusts have
fallen OF. After death from small pox tho
bedding, carpets, etc, in the room should be
destroyed or disinfected. The bodies OF tho
should be avoided. Cleauliness and
the Ventilation Of dwellings afford ef-
1cient aids toward preventing the
spread Of the disease. Sheets, towels and
other articles used about a patient should be
disinfcctel by immersins them in a tub con-
tanning a half pound of sulphate Of zinc
(white vi.riol), or half an ounce o: chloride
of zinc, or four ounces Of the sulphate Of
zinc combined with two ouAcss ~ofcomnoR
salt to each. gallon Of boiling water. Boil
for half all hour. The discharge from the
patient should be received in ; vessel cor-
tanning one Of the above solutions or n solu-
ton of half q pound Of sulphate ofiron Coop
peras) in one quart of water. The bodies Of
OF the dead may be dislnfected by washing
shsm wish a solution of zinc. and salt Of
double strength and wrapping then in q
sheet saturated with the sams solution. The
floor should be sprinkled with a solution Of
csrbolic acid zone ounce) ard sulphate OF
ZINC [s!x ~onnees) to one gallon Of wafer.
Clothing that will not admit of being bsiled
should be disinfected by sprinkling or spong-
ing with the s~ulplase or chloride Of zinc
and afterwards exposed 10 the air. Rouins
should be disintected in the following man
uer: Break roll .ulpher into pieces and place
is upon a metallic dish resting upon bricks,
set in a tub containing water, or resting upon
other supports laid across She tub. Pour q
little alcohol upon tbs sulphur and imlneoi-
ately ignite it. Then leave tbs room, tightly
~cloeiu. the doors and windows. Tor = half
day. After this, ventilxte the room for sew
eral hours. One pound of sulphur should be
used 'or a room ten by ten and of esrre-
spending height, increasing or lessenins the
quantity according to the size OF the room.
Clothing such as furs. silks, wooden goods,
etc, also carpets and %furnitura, may be dis
infected by leaving them in the room while
it is being subjected to the djsintec.ing pro-
cess above stated"
The Nihilists recently made an uusuccpss-
ful but novel attempt to kill or carry away