The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-21
The Peoples Journal.
PICkENS @S. O.
THE FACTS AS TO. SMALL Pox
OBSERVATIONS OF AN EXPERT.

Tho Dreaded Disease Not Very
Severe in Recent Years-The Con
fluent Eorm is Not Common Now
.Asthe question of SMALLPOX is again
demanding the attention OF the healtp
authorities and the public generally
we present a'Bummary OF paper by
w. M. Wclch, M. D., OF the Philadel'
phia municipal hospital (pest house,
published in the Philadelphia MEDICAL
Journal OF Nov. IL. 1889.
Two or three years ago, says Dt
Welch, q mild type of smallpox ap
pesred in the Southern States. While
the disease was recognized rs lniec
tious, Its diagnosis was rendered d!m-
cult in part by reason OF the unusual
milduess of its symptoms and also De'
cause OF the inexperience, of the
younger generation of physlcians In
dealing with smallpox. The mild type
of the affection has been ascribed to
it's supposed Introduction from the
tropics, bnt this Ia questionable. In
an experience OF 20 years OF hospital
work, which includus over 5,500 cases
of smallpox DR.. Welch has never seen
cases present uniformly 80 mild type
40 during the pre vailing epidemic, nor
has he been able to find In the vast
amount Of literature published on the
subject an account OF similarly mild
epidemic in this or any other country.
The disease has prevailed among ne.
groes, both in the South and in the
Northern cities. In Philadelphia 122
out OF 128 cases were negroes. This 10
due to the fact that in the Southern
States vaccination has been greatly
neglected, particularly among the ne-
grOes. The disease has been called by
various names, such as Cuban itch"
elephants itch," etc., but the most
popular name among the colored peo-
Pile was 1.-THE bumps"
While the disease as q rule presents
even in the unvaccinated the symp-
toms Of mild varioloid, yet not all cast
are equally mild. Some patients show
considerable degree Of confluence in
the exposed parts OF the body, parti-
cularly Of the face. In the mildest
cases 1t was impossible to count as
many as o dozen pustules even in per.
sons who had never been vaccinated.
"The vast majority OF the patients
would not remain in bed after the
eruption appeared. They would dress
up In their clothing, walk about and
indulge In various pranks, tricks and
gamess 1t was q novel sight to see
smallpox patisnts, negroes, ,Iunvaccinat-
ed, At about the eighth or ninth day Of
the eruption, engaging in game of
baseball"
In previous epidemics the mortality
from smallpox in Philadelphia has
ssried from 18 per cent. to 644l per
cent, the average death rate being
1888 per, cent. Even before Vaccina
tion was discovered smaIi outbreaks o
the disease wore occasionally met with
In which the mortality was not above
18 per cent, while the average de att
rate from natural smallpox during :h;
eighteenth century was, according tt
available statistics, not less than 4(
per cent. In the present epidemic il
Philadelphia the mortality of l2S case
was nil. OF these ITO had not beer
vaccinated, and II showed the scars .
imperfect vaccination. a large pro
portion-1l3 cases-were over Is year
"~-:f age.
camcrne prophylact!c power of vaccina
ts clearly evident from the lac
D"lSn i,0 few ofsthe cases of smallpo,
more scrd in persons who wero vaccln
,,5sides, 1t Is believed that bu
matter. |hation the disease would hav,
roi,.-. heon widespread and assumed al
Am consideru form Of immense proportion
return 80 many Of the persons atfecte
the mer not Ill enough to be confined t.
/, to at0nonse, but, on the contrary, min