The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1883-03-26
SMALLPOX In SAN ANTONIO.
Experience in Former YearsrPrecaution-
airy Measures Causes of EpidemIcs-
Cases of Black Measles
Ignorant MexicaDs- Description of Some
of Their Habits Re-
ceptacles of Refuse.

Below is portion of report prepared by
DIR. II. Menger for the Texas Medical and Sur
gical Record, the official organ of the Texas
Medical association:
San Antonio, through its wide spread COM
munication with the frontier towns and Mexico,
where smallpox is said to exist all the year
round, is occasionally exposed to infection:
The records of former years show that in
1868 and in 1858 to 1869, quite extensive epidem-
les from smallpox prevailed here, not alone
among the poorer class of the Mexican and
colored population, but also among whites, do
ing considerable havoc. The precautionary
measures used at that time were quite limited
and inadequate. Vaccination was but seldom
done before and only during the prevail
ence of an epidemic, and an isolated
SnarS houoa nut or common common small
hospital. Infection of neighboring families
was especially favored through the migratOric
character of the Mexicans, lack of understand
negligence in the simplest precautionary
measures. The intelligent Mexican, often met
with here, generally obeys the city regula-
tions without comment.
$4,000 inhabitants, the American, German,
Mexican and cOlored race predominating. 1t
Is divided into four wards. The negroes and
Mexicans generally live in small settlements
distributed in different parts mostly i'm the
suburbs of the city. In the First and Second
wards, west of the city, the old Mexican
name of San Pedro, Chihuahua, Piedreras and
NogalitOs. The dwelling houses in these
settlements consisted of small, One-roOmed
nuts or jacals, made out of a row of cedar posts
plasIered with adobe, sort of yellow clay,
which exists in great abundance along the
creeks. The roofs of these huts are covered
with tule or reed, found i'm large abundance
along the banks of the many irrigating bitches
and the beautiful San Antonio river
These small Mexican dwellings are generally
provided with but one door and no window,
and the genuine Mexican takes his meals on
the bare ground. The inside is kept clean, but
the surroundings of these huts are often in a
most horrible filthy condition. Decaying ami
NAL and vegetable material, carcasses, bones,
rags and filth of all sort lays caralessly scat
tered around The brush and weeds in the
next vicinity of the hut is generally used in
stead of privy.
Under these conditions it is not but natural
that smallpox existed to an enormous extent,
and chiefly among the poorer classes of MeXi-
cans in the western suburbs. 1t is good proof
again of the facts just mentioned, that the lack
of thorough vaccination, Inadequate yentila-
ton, filthness, great difficulty in isOlatng the
neighbOring families, and u general restitution,
generates and prOpagates infectious diseases.
The mortuary records show l25 deaths from
smallpox during the years 1878 and 1879. The
following will show how ignorant some Next
cans were in reporting infectious diseases:
The first two cases were reported to me-then
Guy pHySlCid do COIpSts, nuNlS ultu Oh
''black measels y 1t seemed as II nobody
knew anything about these cases. as they
never were reported.
Our time of steam and electricity has not
spared its good influence upon eradicating
smallpox to great extent in future. Nearly
all of the old Mexican huts are now removed
and in their stead fine, substantial dwellings
and the railroad depot of the Great Northern
and International railroad are to be seen
With these improvements the city gained
Il sanitary and general
point of view-althOugh the western suburbs
are still the receptacles of all sorts of filth and
garbage.
Since 1879 vaccination has become more uni
versal here. During that year, and of late, the
inmates of the public schools, jais. schools i'm
general, paupers of the city, etc, have been
vaccinated and revaccinated. A thorough sys-
tematic method for the future although is
still necessity.
San Antonio is now provided with good
hospital for infectious.diseases. May it behoped,
and there is cause to believe so, that its.walls
will be vacant for a length of time from all
horror and misery this disease brings with it.