The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-05-18
SMALLPOX.
Matters OF Interest Relating to the

G smallpox SatnSteu from Johnson
? UNIVERSAL Cyclopedia, win prove
' interesting to our readers at this time:
The disease is said to have prevailed
, in eastern countries from the most re-
mote antiquity, but its early history is
shrouded IN mystery. The first appear
ance of smallpox in Europe is sup
posed by some 10 have been the cpl
/ demie described by Gregory de Tours
as having prevailed In France in the
year $50. 1t is more generally con-
sided, however, that The disease Was first
brought to Europe by the Saracens about
the year 40. Spreading from Spain
, il soon oyerran the continent, but spared
for awhile such isolated countries as
Denmark were 1t first appeared IN 1927
1t was carried to the West Indies in
1917 by the adventures who fastened
to profit by CoIumbus's discovery of the
New World. 1t reached Mexico in
1920 and Brazil in 1868. Further north
it appeared in Maryland having been
brought there by an English ship in the
early part of the seventeenth century.
Thence it spread rapidly through Vir-
GINA, the Carolinas. New England and
the other portions of the colonies.
Up to the beginning of the present
century, when its raVages were decided
Iy checked by vaccination it continued
its course as deadly pestilence, spar
ing no age sex or condition.
It's history, like that of other acute
contagious diseases, is that, while always
prevailing 20 a certain extent, especial
~ in large cities, it RACES as an epidem-
ic every few years. Of the original
cause of smallpox nothing is known,
but it is known that it now never oc-
ours save Us the consequence of infec-
tion carried from one person to another.
| Moreover, il pervades the carnations
from the person SO that actual contact
with the sick is not necessary to
the conveyance of the disease. In its
fixed condition, attached To articles of
bedding, clothing, merchandise, etc, it
| is very energetic and persistent. The
disease is communicable at all periods
OF its course, but is probably most in
tensely contagious during the vascular
stage of the eruption.
| On contracting the contagIOR The in
| diyidual shows no 81 gu of the disease IN
til after the lapse of period OF incuba-
ton, which generally lasts thirteen days.
The initial stage is generally ushered in
by violent chill or by repeated slight
er chills followed by high fever, weak
ness, vomiting, severe headache and pain
in the back. Delirium is frequently OBJ
served and in children commissions or
coma. This stage lasts from two to four
casually three) days, and death may &C.
cur before its termination. A prelimi-
nary rash-commonly of II rOse"lous
character-is sometimes observed during
the initial stage. This is of some value
from Il prognostic point of view but
must not be confounded with the erup-
| tive stage. Little red elevations of the
| skin (sometime pale at firsi) appear upon
the face and head and afterwards upon
the back, breast, arms, abdomen, legs
and feet These elevations vary in size
| from that of miIlet seed to that of pin
head On the second day after their APP
pearance they have increased in size,
constituting distinct papules, and are of
darker hue. On the third day sixth
| of the diseaSe) they are more conical,
each papule showing at its summit
minute Yesicle containing clear
lymphy fluid. By the seventh or eighth
day the papules have reached the size of
pitt pea, and the central depression
which marks the preceding stage being
eifaced they are nearly hemisrherical
in shape. On the outbreak of the erup-
| ton, or soon afterward, the fever disap-
pears or mOderates for the time
| being, according to the sever
| ity If the case, but about
tine sixth day after the eruption (ninth
of the disease), the contents of the yes
icles. become gradually changed to
pus, and the stage of suppuratiOn or
maturatlon begins. In mild cases this
is attended by little fever, but in severe
cases of continent smallpox, the secon-
Diary fever is generally well marked and
lasts from three TO six or eight days, ac-
cording to the severity of the case.
About the eleventh or twelfth day of
the eruption the pustules begin to dry
up, and the general and local symp-
toms gradually abate as the papules
dry into hard, brown crusts. The
process of incrustatiOn is often accom-
panied by intolerable itching, and
by scratching, the course of
healing is SD interfered with that sec
nndary and tertiary crusts often form.
After the crusts have fallen of the sites
of their former attachment remain visi-
BILE for some time, in the form of red
aud somewhat elevated spots, giving the
patient IA peculiar motiled appearance.
The diagnosis of smallpox is easy
in cases where the eruption is well adj
vanced, but in earlier stages as well as
! in sporadic cases and modified forms, it
is often Difficult: and sometimes impos-
sible. Ii is often COMPOUNDED with
measles, chicken-pox and other acute
Rflammatory diseases. Too much re-
lance should not be placed on the erup-
ton, especially in the earlier stages.
The mortality from smallpox varies
in different epidemics ranging in un-
modified cases from 10 TO 80 per cent.
Young children and aged persons are
particularly apt to die if attacked by the
disease.
The treatment of smallpox consists in
Outstanding the resources of the patient,
and in early detecting and combating
complications. No sort of medication
or regimen exerls any curative effect
in the proper sense of the word. Vacci-
nation, though of signal efficacy in
precenting smallpox is utterly powerless
to cure it; and 1t has not been shown
that vaccination of person already
suffering from the disease can even
ameliorate the smallpox whether done
in the ordinary way or by the subcuta-
neous injection of vaccine lymph.
The preeentfon of smallpox may be al
most certainly accomplished by vacci-
nation, aud every one exposed 10 the dis
ease should be at once revaccinated.
| ------
= EmpOrIa Base Ball Club.
! Pursuant to the announcement in
= Mondays NEWS number OF persons in
= terested in base bail assembled at the OF
q fee of Elstun & Son last evening, when
. permanent organization was formed
a and picked nine chosen, and an accep
lance of the "Haymakers'" chaIlengt