The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1883-01-29
FOUR SPECIES OF SMALL-PO,

FOUR SPECIES OF SMALLPOX:
|, "VariOa discreta," distinct smallpox; .,
"Nariola cOniiuens," continent smallpox; 3,
"Variolod," modified form,Of the first named,
and 4, VariOcella, the mildest form, popularity
known as chicken poX,"
CommissiOner-What are the symptoms of
the decease, and how does it usually
progress?
Dr.. Menger-The person attacked with
Variola discreta usually has rigors, lassitude,
severe pains in the back, weakness,
of the epigastrum, nausea, vomiting, drOwsi-
ness and sometimes coma. In children cOnvul-
sion and epileptic fits often occur. HE'S fever
sh and continues SO until the eruption appears;
which is frequently preceded by sweating. The
general idea of the infected person is that he is
suffering from bad cold, and i'm the earlier
StadgeS, the deceaSe is not easily detected eX-
cept by practiced physician, after very care
full observation. At the end of As hours, some
times sooner or later, the eruption makes its
appearance upon the face in the form of a rash
of minute pimples upon red face the pimples
being distinctly elevated above the skin, as If a
small shot were below. In this stage it has
frequently been mistaken for measles. After
three our four days the eruption extends over
the face, travels downward, and the
pimples are more numerous upon the exposed
parts. Where they are unexposed they are
rOSe-colored. About the fifth day minute cir
cular vesicles appear, depressed in the centre,
surrounded by an infiamed ereola containing a
colorless liquor The sixth day there is swelling
of the throat, difficulty OF swallowing, hoarse-
ness and fetid saliva. The eyes are affected and
the person has all the symptoms of severe
catarrh. On the eighth day the central depres-
sion of the yesicles disappear, the ereOla
attans its full size, the vesices become puru-
lent, face swellS, the eyelids enlarge, sometimes
sufficiently to close the eyes, and the mouth
and nose are covered with pustues. BY the
ninth day the pustues attain their full size and
are marked by a brown spot. The inflammation
in the ereola subsidies and tumefaction of the
face appears. The pustules break, the contents
oOZe out, and, drying on the surface, form
crTlsts which peel off, leaving the skin the color
of purple red. The swelling subsidies, and at
the seventeenth day the afflicted person is
usually cOnvalescent. This is the ordi-
nary course of the disease, but there
are, of course, cases in which the
symptoms vary. In severe cases the
disease leaves Il white scar upon the skin.
Varfola. c0ntiuens is the severest form of the
disease. The symptoms are of Il more severe
character,'the fever more intense and is fire.
quently attended by coma, delirium and
diarh0Ga, and complications with othci dis
eases readily occur. The eruption is irregu-
lar, preceded by u red efforescence of the face,
having the appearance of small points, which
are more extensive and appear in clusters,
much resembling the measles. Maturation Oc-
ours earlier, the pustuleS are irregular and Hat,
instead of being glObular; the nus is of brown
lsh chOr. The swelling of the face and sail
vatiOn commences early, and is very great.
The fever continues with the appearance of
the rash, and is of typhoid kind. The erup-
techia and passive hemorrhage; bloody urine
and dysentcrv are observed. There are coma
commissions, sOrdes on the lips and teeth, and