The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-06-13
pR. IrpsnN on sMALLPOX.
Continuation Of lis Valuable ObSsrvH'
tIOnE OF the Late Epidemic.

DIfilltu III pdlA Allc NdluApAN fafNA ~"
the late smallpox epidemic in Wheel
ing. by Dr. S l.. Jcpson. the city
health officer. Continuing on another
branch OF the same subject. DR.. Jcnson
SAID:
As to the treatment az this disease
have nothing to suggest. except that a
general supporting treatment should
be enforced. with close attention TO the
many little details OF nursing that are
y necessary TO secure to the patient a
MnRsure OF comfort. 1ud which. ~ 'htS
most offensive OF all diseases. Niil
scarcely he supplied except by the
Astounding love Of a mother FOR her own
offspring. My recent trying experience
has Impressed anew upon my MIND
some facts bearing upon the sanitary
control OF smallpox. tho relation "t
which may result In some possible BEN
eft to sanitary officers who have not
vet encountered this disease, Very
nromlnent among the causes faNorlnE
the spread Of smallpox, ] am disposed
10 place error In diagnosis, delays IN
diagnosis. and neglect ~ attending
physicians 10 enforce ordinary sanitary
precautions while uncertain as 10 the
nature OF the disease. Mistakes IN a.
agnOsis have not been numerous mere
and So far aS ! am acquainted win
the facts. the attending physicians have
not been to blame, because OF the unus-
ual manifestations OF the disease III
these Instances. or the absence OF
characteristic symptoms aud eruption.
Delay Is dangerous. and hence In re-
D,rtiu- cases has been much 100
common. II has happened In - number
OF Instances that the health officer was
not called until the second or third day
OF the eruption. in typical cases where
there should have been M hesitation
I'm making a diagnosis. II has been ist
execution that any sanitary prerauuon
whatever has been taken by the at
tending physician. other than n mild
caution 10 keep all persons away from
the patient. Vaccination and complete
isolation were allowed 10 wait on
tardv diagnosis and the arrival Of the
health officer. and these several days
were lost at most important period.
Call the sanitary Oniesr.
would insist that when smallpox IS
prevailing In a community the sanitary
officer should BE- called as soon as any
symptoms suggestive Of this disease
are present. Let the attending physi-
clan lift the burden Of responsibility
from his own shoulders by permitting
that officer to determine the nature OF
the case. He will err II at all. on the
side Of public safety. Such errors are
always aNcusablc, but errors that re-
suit in the spread of malignant disease.
although physicians wei know that
they arr ut times unavoidable. the pun
lis IS always qu!cS to condemn. Oslcr
rolls af 4 mistaken diagnosis that gave
o.
errors are lIahl. u cause the physician
making them To have unpleasant re-
Elections II Is n comfort to divide re-
snonsIbYIity With some one. and In the
cases We speak Of, the public sanitary
officer Is the proper person. Let no
false pride lead any physician 70 post
none reporting n case. lest II may de-
vcl1p into come other disease than
smallpox.
Another cause Of the spread Of this
disease vs. the occurrence or cases so
very mild that th.y plss unrecnEniZei'
no physician being called and the pa
,Innt mngling freely with the people
or such cases ! have encountered nNe
that were unrecogniZable until the dls-
ease was about CSicd. one was IN
Seplrat. apartments N house a!rcllE
quarantlned. Two others seemed to
originate no new cases. ono motneF
gave the disease to three Of her child
ron and a how communicated II to two
sisters and probably e. i've or SIX
other persons IN his ncighhorh1od.
The sanitary officer 81 Of course. com
rlctrIy helpless In such cases as these,
in which the modifying influence OF
vaccination becomes n positive source
Of danger. I am quite confident. how
ever. tl-1t such very mid cases are
much l"ge apt to convey Injection than
NOR. serious ones, otherwise n more
abundant harvest would have resulted
from the well scattered seed.
Another Danger.
The conceaImcut OF cases is certainly
another danger. but in the two I'm
stances met with have no harm re-
suited. When n case IL concealed the
family IS apt, through fear OF III" law
To- take every precautl"n known U
them to prevent the spread OF IN" DIS
Ease. In one instance. however. thus
WAS not done. the husband occupying
nightly Inc same bod with his Infected
wife. and daily working ut a factory
that employed hundreds 0f men. wb-
mon ana children. while one child Mt
tended the public school regularly. J."
the rigid enforcement Of vaccination
and reyacclnntIOn at the factory and
in tho public school. Is doubtless due
our escape from many more cases.
Imperfect cleaning and dlsInfectiou Is
nu0tir,r slurre NJ danger As already
suggested. but few ~ the pcopl. among
whom smallpox f. most apt 10 prevail
can he relied upon to execute IN" or
dcrs ~ the health officer In this dircc-
lion. Ignorance. ll2lnoss, u desire to
keep b.i clothes or clothing TINT the
sanitary officer may order destroyed,
and IN some cases an Indifference" ns u
the spread Of the disease Is not posi-
tive desire 10 have others contract H..
lead TO imperfect cleaning and To tho
hiding away 81 infected clothing. tn"
future wearing ~ which would b" Il
menace L. the public safety.
am conscious ~ not adding any
ching 10 the sum Or human knowledge
In these remarks but IN" simple della
ton n my experience IN nghllng n
Inathsomr disease may convey a use
ful logsl To- som" who have nE yet
had no experience IN this I'm" NJ work.
In a large city whore the sanitary ma
chIurrv i4 ample. ana each person well
trained IN some special duty. the con-
truI Of smallpox may d" comparatively
easy Not 50 IN tho small places. whore
tin burden practically rests upon on"
man Tho one lesson, NOR" important
than all others. that I would enforce Is
ibig. Dhgta priHrnUIa Resist the bn-
rInnIncH Stop the disease, " possible,
nj the first case, At any cost NJ energy
or money Th" most unwig" economy
m that which socks 10 stop the progress
~ SMALLPOX by cheap moth1dg. II must
! be fought like nr" In ~ inception Thit
believe ~ be the truTgt economy, ana