Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-06-01
YAWS OR
SMALLPOX
The Prevailing Trouble May nave a
Distinct Ilinship to Two Diseases.

The Prevailing Trouble May have a
Distinct Kinship to Two Diseases.
"A contributor sends the following
from Waterloo. Ia:
Noticing the mention in the T.-R. of
the Goth inst in regard to smallpox, Y
herewith send you a selection from an
article by DR.. Smith. of Shell Rock, Ia.
some weeks since, who calls attention
to the same views as expressed lately
by the Marshalltown doctor.
DIR. Smith has had years of experi-
Eence and for a time was assistant in
one of Chicagos largest hospitals.
where he saw all forms on contagious
diseases, and expresses the following
under title of "Rubula.
There still continues to prevail
sthruout the country cutaneous dis
ease which is causing great diversity.
of opinion III the minds of the medical
profession, and especially of the public:
in general. where quarantine has been
established for smallpox.
An Intimate association of smallpox
and chicken pox has been advanced,
the severe cases being Of the former
and the mild cases being pronounced
the latter without taking into consid-.
GRAFTON the character of epidemics diff
fering with different years. Instead OF
able we may have very distinct kin
ship to either OF these diseases? We do
not propose to deny the existence of
genuine smallpox, but wish to call at
tent!on to the fact that a great number
~ caT
by the members OF our profession may
known as .Rubula.'
There are two varieties of this dis
ease which differ considerably. tile one
occurring in America, the other in
Africa, and commonly called the
.yaws. 1t Is characterized by GU
taneous eruption. With numerous and;
successive papilla and granular ulcer
ations OF the epidermis, gradually in
creasing from specks to the size OF a
raspberry. which it Stimulates, and. like
smallpox, may be discrete or continent.
The continent is febrili. the discrete
lin non-febrili is Infectious. supposed to
be contagious and to occur but once in
the same person. Both OF these points,
however. are doubtful.
In genuine smallpox true dermatitis
iexists, affecting the epidermal, the
der1nal and also the endermal layers
Iof the skin, with pitting, whereas in
yaws the epidermaI rarely the dermal.
4 and never the endermal layers, are af-
Elected and followed by the appearance
4 of brownish or pale pink spots on the
| surface. of the skin. which finally dis
appear without any pitting If unmo-
ilested.
The odor which is always present in
smallpox is practically wanting in this
/ disease, except in the negro race, where
lit is said an odor exists. In this dis
| ease all the symptoms disappear upon
i the appearance of the eruption and
! there is no secondary rice OF fever
(. when the eruption becomes incrusted
4 with yellowsh matter, as is true With
smallpox in the pustular stage, and
1 forms one Of the chief points, in the
|differential diagnosis of these diseases.
AS has been repeatedly proved, vacci-
lsnation takes during and after the pa
4 tient has the disease, and persons who
have previously had the smallpox. with
marked pitting. contract the disease,
4 with no change in its course or the
previous appearances Of the person,
and the public sees that we are today
face to face in conflict with a disease
readily made manifest by its general
prevalence thru the states and It's low
rate Of mortality, which likens It unto
Ila grippe upon its recent appearance,
as uncommon to this country.
I'VE admire caution among the mem
bers Of the profession and II possible to
prevent the spread OF smallpox, but be
sure and know whether 1t is smallpox
/ or not before you declare 1t IL. as the
interest of the public, financially and
commercially, Is deserving OF this con-
\ sideration.