Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1882-01-27
The National Epidemic of SMALLPOX.

The National Epidemic OF Small-Pox.
The Executive Committee of the Ma
tional Board of Health at its meeting IN
Washington on Friday last, declared small
pox to be epidemic in the United States.
A bill has been introduced by Mr.. Fra
Zler in the Virginia House of Delegates, au-
thoriZing the supervisors Of counties and
the town councils OF incorporated towns,
make vaccination compulsory, those un-
tble to pay to be vacc1nated at the eX-
aense of the county or town.
VIM Larkins, of Stony Greek, Shenan-
doah county, died on Tuesday, of smallpox
Contracted while visiting Penn. His
wife IS dying and Mr.. Day who wore Lar
kin 8 overcoat day or two is also down
with the disease. A child of neighbor,
Abraham Myers, has taken varioloid.
Edward MCGEE, a native of Rocking
ham county, died at Charleston, KaDaWha.
of it lasC week. His home was at another
place.
At Richmond, Va, the disease does not
seem to increase, but finds It's victims in
the largest number of cases among the
blacks. There are only about IS cases in
the city out of a population OF $4,000.
In Jersey City, n. j.. shoemaker died,
leaving wife and five children. The
neighbors were afraid to 60 to the house.
When the Health officer went there Satur-
day. he found the mother lying on a heap
of rags and carpets, and covered with pus-
tuIes. On her right was the dead body of
her little girl and ON her left that of her
| little boy In the corner of the room lit
tie fellow was sitting, while budding close
to the cold stove were the two remaining
| children The officer at once lighted a
| fire and sent for food for the unfortunate
family, at the same time telegraphing for
| the ambulance to remove them to the hos
pital. The two children were buried at
| the expense Of the county.
| About 80 cases are reported in Ports
| mouth, confined exclusively to the colored
people.
| On Friday last seven tramps broken out
with the disease walked into Chicago. In
that city on Tuesday the year old baby OF
| Mrs. Lindsey was stricken with the dis:
| ease. AS the child had only been fed from
its mothers breast, and it was certain
death for it to be fed otherwise during the
| time it was suffering from the dreadful
disease, Mrs. Lindsey decided to stay
with her offspring and nurse it during its
illness, although she has not been vacci-
mated, and consequently is almost certain
to contract the disease. Wednesday she
was locked in her room with the Child
and her meals will be passed to her by
means Of an elevator.
| On the suburbs of Norfolk colored
family lived, Of which one of the mem
bets, u woman, took the disease. The
| family fed leaving her alone in the house
| where she was afterwards found dead by
the health officer.
smallpox is reported prevalent in all the
country towns in the Ohio Valley. In
Cincinnati it holds its own-that is. about
eight new cases are reported every day.
| All houses where smallpox prevails are
placarded with the words, .sSmall-pox in
ths house, The mortality from 1t has
not been great. The disease has swept
across the populous part of the city
from west to east, keeping between Court
street and the foot of the hills.
The disease is prevailing in the neigh
borhood of Austin, Texas.
1t prevails at SiXty-One points in the
State of Illinois. Several students at
keokuck Medical College have it.
At New Haven, Conn, Pittsburg, Pa.
Washington, Baltimore. Scranton, Pa.
and out in the country around Petersburg
| Va, there are several cases.
A New York physician says:
"Whenever you see pinples depressed ir
the centre you may take that as sign Of
smallpox. Smallpox pustules appear first
on the face, then on tho neck and hands
and afterwards on the body. At first they
are tie size and have the soliiity of small
shot, but layman would not be able tC
judge OF them until on and after the fourth
day, when they become depressed in the
centre and surrounded by a circle of pink
that turns a dark crimson. These pimples
are often so thick that they run together
There is an odor accompanying the disease
that, once noticed, cannot be forgotten.
Bernard the vocalist, at Richmond from
smallpox has been noticed. A panic was
created at Liberty, Bedford, by the return
to that town of young lady, one of Mrs
Bernard's pupils, who 1t was rumored haG
been with her Just before she died.