The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-08
THE SICKNESS AT EASTMAN.
Local Physicians Say 1t Is Only
ChickenpOX.


ChickenpOX.
Eastman, Ca, June 5.-Editor Savannah
Morning News: Doubtless your paper has
by this time announced the fact that
smallpox has been declared to exist in
Eastman, and since this was done upon
the authority of physician of your city,
who kindly consented, for a small consid-
Grafton, TO act the part of expert" and
who in that guise succeeded in branding
a few cases of inoffensive chicken-pox as
smallpox, desire the privilege of a small
space in your paper in order to save our
fair town from the necessary consequences
OF this rash decision.
As the gentleman in question admitted TO
me that he had never seen malignant
case, it is certainly within the limits of
probability for me to question his claim
to the title of expert" The writer has
had the good or bad fortune to witness
Two very severe epidemics of this disease,
one in 1S7O-'7l, that swept through the
greater part of Europe; The other in 1881
in Cincinnati o., both of which afforded
splendid opportunities for naturalization,
and would make a mistake in the diagno-
sis of fully formed case of this dis
ease almost an impossbility.
did not have the pleasure of being
present at the experts" visit to the sus-
pected cases. being called from town on
professional business az the time, but from
Wna ] can learn, the diagnosis was made,
In an 'ipse dixie manner the expert re-
msng TO discuss symptoms with present
doctors; even when 1 met the gentleman
later on he refused discussion on the plea
that TO the best of his knowledge the
cases were smallpox, and that ended the
matter"
Now for the benefit of your medicai
readers and the public in general, desire
TO state the following facts. In the first
place, we have had no quarantine, at least.
the thing called by that name here should
bnng the blush of shame to the face of
any efficient Board of Health; of this dis
ease we have had a dozen or more cases
10 town within the last twelve months.
the county has also had a few sporadic
cases, and l am informed it prevails in
heshoorlng towns None of these cases
nave required or received any medical al.
'eHlon, 10 the best of my knowledge. for
lHtie Is no illness besides the eruption
except a light fever lasting a day or two
III spite of the absence of any special
sanitary regulations the disease remained
sporadic till our Board of Health in its
VISION saw fit to confine the members Of
eoiofed family, where ii appeared with
III me limits of a small house. when in
we course OF two weeks or so all of them
oOuuacted the disease, yet none Of them
were sick enough to go 10 bed
Inc stage of incubation in all but one
''Sc Oh those in town was less than tNen-
V-iour hours and by the fifth and sixth
udy' When most of the cases were seen nv
n'e' new crops of vesicles were still form
'"7. win never pustule nor an umbiIi-
'dNoh present. The absence of Dustula
a
e"Ses' ana in a face covered with yesi-
'es IN all Stages of growth from pinhead
lze TO crustation, the closest inspection
.aI'0u 10 discover single pustule even on
'"V seventh day. There is only one case
" '0Nh, an old negro, who shows any
Puslulation, and The type, were IL small
poA' would he of the continent variety. VET
'l'S same negro, when seen by me on the
'iA'n DAY of the eruption, instead of be-
''- IN the throes of septic infection and
0"I llhg up with fever was feeling as
wei as any man could feel with his skin
puckered by blisters; besides. the history
VI 'he case shows the trouble to be spe-
,lH'- lntorma ton by the patients gives
~ eshtn or ninth day on which crusts
'-ah 10 drop and inspection now shows
S.sht pitting in only one case.
" Heh we take into consideration this
symptom complex, together with the fact.
-' an cases lately have been among ne
-''es' nearly all unprotected by vaccina-
.""' u We remember now frightfuny
nt'i TAI CHS disease has been in the past
among all unprotected aboriginal races, it
"-' De seen that Ii requires the widest
e.ietch OF the Imagination or utter lack
VI Hdgnostic skin to pronounce this dis
use smallpox. The ease and facility
'''H winch some men pronounce upon the
'tiure of contagious diseases, because. as
'-L expert, stated, it is best TO err OH the
."le side, is greatly to be deprecated by
49, classes Of citizens. and to burden a
'l.ess community with all the annoy
"i'es Of smallpox quarantine, and all the
.'7Ai .ag restriction 20 commerce aud
'"Nel upon evidence as hmsy as that pre-
"lsd by The above cases is an injustice
.''' l. as one. am not prepared to pass
without challenge
we nave faws cases Of disease in our
'H"' lhal is, presumably infectious ana
''ieniiy contagious and that In its eruD-
rye s'age is opt 70 temporarily spoil the
'."s" OF beauty in any face but that fur
''I than this has proven to be abso:
'o'eiy harmless and insccuous; If anybody
slres 10 make smallpox out OF this he
"e.fome to his opinion but he must not
'le the people of this community, even
.r we 90 happen to I've in Dodge county
-e uSease being contagious, l am hcari-