Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-07-22

tected for a block or more by persons
who have experienced 1t, great intensity
of the ownset prolonged period of inya-
sion, severe pain in rhe back and fore
head and the more frequent occurrence
of podromal rash.
The time usually required from THE be-
ginning of variola to uhe time of its dis
appearance by stages: (a) Incubation,
twelve days; tb) primary fever, coming
out and maturing of the eruptions, nine
days; (c) four or five days for seabbing,
and I'D six for desquamation.
will admit that theory has taught us
that chicken-pox is a contagious disease,
usually of children. But in practice we
find a great many cases among elder
persons.
Since the beginning of this much dread
ed disease (Which is causing the higher
as well as the lower element of the good
citizens of this city to be In great doubt
yeti, | will say that great ma jority of
the cases have come within the domains
of my sphere of practice, and | have tried
to study each case well.
Before the case, in the person of Bridge
Steward, coLored, created such an excite
merit in Alley G, between Twenty-first
and Twenty-seeond streets, which at the
time was under my trea tment / had
treated more than fifteen, of which our
worthy health official saw some of them
at the time In all l have treated some
forty-fiVe or fifty since the plague first
suit, and not more than a third of The
number took to the bed, and not more
than six were confined to bed more than
four days. One man, Sam johnson, di d
from inanition and acute dySentery. Be-
cause it is a fact that the boy, Herbert
Jones, who was taken from the same
house was more confidently involved with
the disease, but had better attention al
the pest quarters.
l was once in an epidemic of smallpox
n a Fan 111aa fax xraa 70 atrn
and among the great number who had
we'll defined cases. none were known to
get well in a shorter time than thirty to
thirty-five days, and all confined to bed
with the usual pathognomonic symptoms.
[ never saw nor read of one who kept his
feet al. the time. The cases which l have
treated are about eight or nine days, pos
sibly twelve days, Cf a fellow wants to
lay off while), getting well.
To make long matters short for fear
that L may tire the patience of the good
readers, l will say that with all due
courtesy and respect to the authorities
in power who have declared that we have
we'll defined smallpox in this CITY, 1 will
say for the benefit of those who agree
with my version of the situation that
this disease has been looked at by
Lysis instead of by crisis: and that if this
Is smallpox I've not seen it fully describ-
ed, to believe it, and again I've never
heard of walking smallpox, and of whole
IdinlHeS having III not one confined to
bed, and among the whole number who
have gctter welr. have no signs of pitting
nor modification.
If what is pronounced is smallpox l am
anxious to have 1t so that l may forever
be immured from it.
Asfspac's will not allow me to say more,
l shall say in conclusion that while l do
not agree with the diagnosis of the gen.
tlemen upon this disease, / shall try ito do
my duty in preventing the spread 1t is
probable that this disease was brought
from Mexico by the colored people who
came from there sometime ago
u. G., MASON M d