Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1900-05-14
SMALLPOX ON MAINLAND

The Public Health Reports, publish
e over the signature of Walter Wy
man, Surgeon General of the U. s. Ma
rine Hospital Service, in the issue of
March 23, 1900, contains circular of
Information published by the Illinois
State Board of Health. From this
document the following extracts are
taken:
Notwithstanding the well-demon-
strated incontestable fact that chicken
pox Is prominently disease of child
hood, 1t is known that, during the pres
ent widespread epidemic of modified
smallpox in the State of Illinois and
elsewhere. many cases of this disease,
occurring in both early and late adult
life, have veen pronounced chicken
pox."
More than a score of medical author
tiles are quoted in the circular to show
that chicken pox is disease of child
mood and that an epidemic eruptive
disease affecting adults and children
alike is not chicken pox, and the circu-
lar, signed by J. A. Egan, NJ. d., Sec
rotary, says:
I'm conclusion, the State Board of
Health desires to emphasize the neces-
sity for the observation of the most
stringent precautions in every case of
eruptive disease, particularly one re-
sembling chicken poX or smallpox. The
failure of physician to readily recog-
niZe small poX, or neglect to recon-
mend the adoption of extraordinary
care in all cases of a suspicious nature,
may at any time cause the beginning
of an outbreak in a community. en-
failing much sickness and loss of life,
interruption to travel and depression
of business, and financial loss impos-
sible to estimate. The most rigid
quarantine and isolation is recommend
ed in every case concerning which
there Is the slightest uncertainty. and
the maintenance of such until all
doubts are set aside. Especially should
a varicella-like eruption imam adult be
regarded with great suspicion. 1t may
not be small pox; it is extremely UNI
likely to be chicken pox."
A footnote quotes the following from
a "Precis upon the diagnosis and pre-
vention of small pox, United states
Marine Hospital Service, 1892"
THE observation of the Marine Hos
pital Bureau has been that In the ma
jority of mistaken diagnoses with re-
gard to smallpox the disease has been
called chicken pox. This is more strict
ly disease of children, affecting es-
pecially those under six years of age
Chicken poX is a contagious disease
and many local health authorities re-
quire its isolation. Particularly when
smallpox is prevalent, any case of sup
posed chicken poX should be isolated
and guarded as II ii were smallpox. al
least until the diagnosis Is proved be-
yond doubt"
Smallpox has prevailed throughout
lie Northern, Middle and, Southern
States for the past year, in each of sew.
eral fully a thousand cases being re.
ported in single months.
David Dayton, former president o.
the Hawaiian Board of Health, ant
than whom few persons here have hat
! equal experience in smallpox epidem
les, says that several mistakes hav,
been made here in diagnosing varioloiC
as chicken poX.
The foregoing information Is pub
lished by request as a caution to the
local medical faculty, as there seems
more danger of smallpox slipping into
these Islands now than any other con
tagious disease.
II is reassuring to know that the di
agnosis of the case of chicken pox, re
ported yesterday as on board the trans
port Solace, was made by DR.. Car
michael, U. S. Marine Hospital Service
personally, with DR.. Wood, presiden
of the Board of Health. After discov
cry the case was held under observa
ton for whole day, and there was NJ
doubt, finally, that it was one of the ex
ceptional cases in which an adult con
tracts chicken pox.