The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-12-24
NOTE OF WARNING
Sounded by City Health Officer
Jepson, who Advises
TO DIAGNOSE
all Cases that may Possibly
be smaIlpox-An Epidemic Of tho
Disease is now Raging In Many
Ohio Towns-If Physicians do their
duty there will be 10 Danger here.
AToucir of the Grip here.

City Health oficer Jepson believes in
the adage that an ounce of prevention
Is worth pound OF cure, and in cir
cular issued to the physicians Of the
city yesterday, he calls their attention
to the smallpox epidemic which Is now
raging in a number Of Ohio communlt-
les, and calls upon them to diagnose
carefully all cases that may be small
pox. Speaking of the matter, Or. Jep-
son said that II the physicians were al
ways looking ont for smallpox, there
would be no widespread epidemic OF the
disease. The danger lies In an incor-
rect diagnosis. failure to isolate and the
consequent spread OF the disease before
steps are taken to guard against 1t.
Dr. Jepson's circular is as follows:
HEALTH OFFICE.
WHEELING, W. VA,
December y, 1885.
To Notwithstanding the present year
smallpox has prevailed extensively N the
southern states. Since the advent OF cool
weather 1t has appeared IN the states
nearer to US. \ recent outbreak IN Penn
papers, Information reaches me that the
disease Is In Washington, D. c., Nortclk
and other towns in Virginia.. from which
state II was last summer brought hto
cured among the colored miners, The
state board OF health gavo valuable aid
in its suppression.
a private letter from the Kentucky state
board informs me that 52l cases nave &C.
CURED in that state, and Dr. Probst, sec
rotary Ohio state board, reports TO me
that up to November 80 about $40 cases
had been reported Ia thirty or more towns
in Ohio. On the above date the secretary
sent to all the local health boards 9 spe-
clal circular, In which he says: SMALL
poX has already spread to many sections
OF the state, and there are now SO many
centers of infection that there Is consld.
cradle danger Of general epidemic
1t is feared that the disease VIII gain IN
mailgnancy as cold weather comes on.
think It proper to lay the above facts
before the profession, that physicians may
be prepared to, encounter TINS dread as
case ct any time, and may thus AVOID
errors in diagnosis, which SO often lead
to disastrous results.
Although very mild cases. and those
modified by vaccination, are sometimes
are usually so clearly defined that mis-
takes should be rare, and Will almost
never occur, II in doubtful case the phy'
slcIan asks himself the question: us this
q CnSe OF StlHlluuNt
The disease begins suddenly, usually
with a chill or chllllncss. nausea with or
without vomiting, Intense headache. some
times perspIration and generally IN. B.
Not always a pain In the back-"spiDe
ache"-that is unrelleved by any change
OF position.
Before the characteristic eruption which
appears In three or four days, there Is
frequently n general redness OF the skin
thai may be carelessly mistaken for
measles or scarlet fever. Keep in mind
the sudden and severe invasion, The
papules first appear on the face and
wrists, are hero most abundant, and are
apt to come IN groups, unlike any other
eruption. Injection of the conjunCtivae,
and mild sore throat, with laTyHgeal In
Movement, causing huskIness Of the voice,
are quite common.
II called to n doubtful case, Isolate Mt
once, and notify the health officer. DO
not walt four days, that the eruption may
decide the case. In the meantime, NUM-
her OF other persons may become injected.
Far better to Isolate many cases OF chick
en-pnN, than to allow exposure to one case
OF smallpox. Delay In diagnosis Is almost
MS disastrous as mistake IN diagnosis,
unless the patient be rigidly isolated dur
ing the delay. Prompt isolation, prompt
diagnosis. prompt report OF cases, ana
prompt Vaccination Of all unprotected per-
sons who may have been exposed, will
render an epidemic OF smallpox impossl-
bic. Very respectfully.
Health officer,