The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-05-18
a PHYSICIAN SPEAKS.
The Contagious Character u SMALLPOX
Defined and Described.

The Contagious Character u SnalI-Pol
Defined and Described.
The following observations of Can
ton, Ohio, physician well known to tn,
writer as practitioner OF many years
experience and who has treated mani
cases of smallpox, are publ shed in th'
current number OF the Stark Ceunt,
(ohio) Democrat, and we copy them
knowing that they will be OF especial in
terest TO our readers at this time:
ED. DEMOCRAT: by request, and fol
the information of the public. furnish
for publication the following facts ac
CURED from perscnsl observation upon
the conlagioRsness uf smallpox. Err
roneous opinions are entertained by
many on the subject, which are calcu-
lated 10 lead TO injHdicious and unprof
liable action, and to correct them
prompts this article. BY views may
differ from the views OF other physi-
Clans, but everybody understands, espec-
tally the courts, how doctors differ,
and ''who shall decide when doctors
disagree?" Let every one judge for him.
self as ne is given light
NV first contact with sInall-pu was
| in 1888. | was then student at col
| lege. A member of the family with
whom l boarded contracted the disease
| in PiItsburg. There were at least a
dozen students boarded and lodged in
the house, and although we frequently,
out of curiosity, looked into the room
where the patient was cOnllned, not a
single other case occurred in the house
or neighborhood.
| In 1850, Il boarder OF the American
I E,.ls f.sn faF- .ats.
his return from Journey, was taken
| with smallpox. Several Of the younger
children of the proprietor of the house
had been vaccinated and they contracted
It, The pOstoffice was kept in the house,
and, though the public came and went
as usual, one case only occurred out
side. There were dozen d~ellin rs
| within hundred yards, but not a single
| occupant took the disease.
During the rebellion We were seldom
free from il. II was either fresh re-
cruit, who had not been v"ccInated, or a
| native, for whom We cared. The sol
diery were treated in tents, isolated from
| the main camp, but there was no spec
ial restrictions about intercourse-none
were necessary, las people are not inclined
Voluntarily TO rush into danger. There
was not AN instance 10 my knowi-
edge where any one contracted the dis
ease from tent. On the arrival of the
army at Savannah, in Sherman's march
to the sea, We found number of cases
of small poX amOu;r the low whites ana
negroes. 1t was my duty as medical
officerIo provide quarters and assign SUR
geons to attend them. inspected their
quarters weekly. hIdhy oi ihenl were
in pal 4iiIl residences Ia the heart of the
city; vet did not learn ola single case
49,
1 have cited these instances in proof
of My belief that the disease Is not car
ried in the air Ia any great "Xient, as
many people believe, "r h"ve IN idea.
The stories told of Tins disease beng
contracted by persons who passed the
house or called at the door Of .hc small
pnx patient, am inclined 10 reg ard as
apncryphal. The virus may be con-
veyed in clothing, or paper money,
which we've on ar about The person dur.
ing The disease. L, may preserve lis ac.
tiVIty for months when not exposed To
the air. At What period III the course
of the disease the chances Of taking it
are most likely, has hot yet been ac-
curateiy determined. There is great
danger in carrying and handling a
corpse, as decomposition Is rapid, and
the cmnnatiOn most pung' mt. Terrible
results have followed the careless hand
ling and burial of II smallpox patient.
The fOmites, or histories mOrhi, is then
more penetrating.
| ain often asked, How do you pro-
tect yourself?" Having been vaccinated,
and having Vaccinated myself Ia be as
suIed that its protective power has not
been exhausted, have no fear for my
self That | may nos convey it to oth-
eIs through the medium of f'mites, |
cover myself with an impervious and
unn-absorbent garment. l have no Oc-
caSi0n, nor is it necessary for me 10
touch the patient. | learn from the
nurse all that is important for me to
know in order To prescribe. If | handle
anything in the room, | wash my hands
thoroughly and use disinfecIant |
have yet to learn of Il single instance
where physician carried smallpox to
another person, when he knew what he
was treating. There are other diseases
of Il malignant character communicated
10y the physician, for the prevention of
which there is no known prophylactic.
! do not ish to he understood as OPP
posing all proper precautions against
the spread of smallpox. | desire SIM
ply Ia impress upon our people the fact
that the disease is not contagious tn the
extent imagined by some persons. That
when it makes its appearance in neigh
bOrhood, there is no reason foI those
living in close proximity to become
panic stricken and remove. If the fam
lily are protected by vaccination, they
can continue if the even tenor of their
way without fear. For our people to
he continually agitating the subject, can
do no possible good, but may do much
harm, not only in keeping up constant
fear, thereby increasing the liability to
contract the disease, but seriously dis
lurb the business interests of the city.
LEW SLUssER. n. ID.