The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-02-23
TIE F0UI. DISEASE.
A Discussion of tho Cause OF the Disease
Its Fatality, and the Means for It's Pre-
vcntfon.

vention.
The dreadful disease is prevailing very
largely in various parts of tho United
States. II has already found its way in.
to eighteen or twenty states and terrific.
ries, and is rapidly spreading. So far
as we know, not single case has yet oo.
Cured in any part Of tho state Of Geor-
gia, but as we are in constant communi-
cation with places wherc the disease is
doing its deadly work, we need not be
surprised at any day to sse it among us.
Indeed, it will be surrrisingif we escape.
Much as this disease is talked Of tho
masses of our people really know very
little abont it. and as the sincere friend
of our reade.s @e propose to give them
some information on the subject, which
we hope will be valuable.
Many will doubtless be startled at our
statement that this disease is incompara-
bly, and by far the greatest scourge ever
inflicted by the providence of God on
the human race. But if they were &C.
4uaintr1 with the history Of its ravages,
they v aid not regard our strong express
sion rs at all exaggerated.
The disease is one of the n,osr agoniz.
ing, and one of the most fatal, that flesh
Is heir to. In its violent form, the whole
body, from the crown Of the head to tho
feet, is covered with oozing sores. each
one of which is source of lancinating
pain: some times these sores become
continent, and then the whole body be.
comes one huge sore-one shocking mass
of rottcnness and borrow. The inner
surface of the body, no less than the outer.
are covered with these ulcers SO that to
swallow at all is like swallowing scald-
ing water; and perpetual swallowing fol-
lows the expectoration which is needed to
prevent suffocation from accumulating
excreta; frequently blood exudes from
tho mucous membranes of the mouth.
nose, ears, ,'and bowels. The odor of the
body is offensive beyond expression, and
the filth from the discharging sores is
horrible. The eyes are closed, the head
is frightfully swelled, and so indeed is the
whole body, and, during part of the time,
fever with all its concomilant distress
RACES. Delirium sets in, and the sufferer
fingers until death ends the scene. True,
every case is not marked by symptoms so
unutterably dreadful rs those which we
have attempted to describe many die
before the disease has reached these su-
perlative stages; some die speedily from
complication with other diseases; and
many haTing the disease in milder form
recover; out every one who is wholly
unprotected by vaccination, and who has
the disease, is liable to all that We have
tried to set forth, aud if possible to more
for it is impossible for language to exag-
gerate the anguish, the loathsomeness and
the terror, of this fearful scourge. If any
one thinks that We have overstated the
case, he can easily correct his misappre-
hension by reading the standard medical
books. We have spoken only of the
worst cases in its less malignant types
the disease falls far short Of what has been
said, but in its most malignant form, il
wholly unchecked, it is still one of the
most distressing maladies known to man.
kind.
1t is one Of the most communicable of
all diseases, being both contagious and
infections, that is, it may be communica-
ted by touching person who has it, or
By touching G garment that he has ham
died, or it may be carried in the mir, and
thus communicated to person who never
saw, nor ever came very nea. to cne
afflicted with it. 1t may come from
handling paper money; it may be brought
by mail in newspaper or letter, or in a
package by express it may be caught
from fellow traveller on the railroad, or
from passer-by in the street, or from the
casual visit of friend. The germs of
it will remain in bed clothing, carpets
and the like, for months and perhaps for
years. 1t respects no season Of the year,
and no spot on the earth. It visits the
tropics it has slain its millions in Mexi.
co it nearly depopulated Greenland it
reaches the mountain tons, and it breaks
out in mid-ocean it has no fayorite
localities the whole earth is its home.
Its most fTightful slaughter was in the
18th and 18th centuries. But in those
days there were no railroads, and no
steam, and but little commerce, no express
companies, and but little mail matter,
and very little travel in any way. In
these days of ceaseless intercourse and
perpetual running to and fro, if the dis.
eaee were unchecked as it was then, its
ravages would probably soon dcpopulate
the whole civilized world and perhaps
this proposition would remain true, If
the .=ord civilized were stricken out, for
it is a we'll established fact that The dark
skinned races are much more susceptible
of it than the whites, and are also more
likely to die from its effects.
1t may be asked, if this disease is SO
| eaisly communicated, why is it that it has
not long since swept the population from
\ the earth The answer TO this question is
| ready: it is because it has been checked
by most wonderful preventive which
| has been vOuchsafed to us in the provi.
| dence Of God. While on the one hand i,
is the most terrific OF all epidemic dis
eases, far moro deadly than the yellow
fever, and far more dreadful than the
horrible plague of London, on the Other
hand, there is no disease which can be sc
easily and so certainly prevented. The
most astounding discovery of modern
| times, aud the most beneficial of all time
was the discovery of tho prophylactit
power of vaccination and the greatest
human benefactor, immeasurabIy tht
greatest, who ever blessed the human race
was Edward Jenner, who discovered
it. Did any other man ever save tn,
lives of his fellow-men by millions, ant
by millions upon millions? Some mal
question that Jenner has done this? lie
him read the literature Of the subject
and he will question no more.
Now 1t will be in order to ask som,
practical questions.
! l. Does viccination protect? Not alb
solutely nor does smallpox itself, fo
cases have occurred where the same person
has had the disease twice, but these case
are exceedingly rare. So it is with vac
cination when it IS complete and perfec
the risk is almost infnitessimal. Blu
vaccination may be complete or it ma,
be partial, but the person imperfect,
vaccinated is liable, Qhough in less de
gree than If he were not vaccinated q
all) to the disease F; but in such cases tht
disease Is always modified in proportion
to the completeness OF the vaccination. 4