The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1901-01-12
Demonstrates that Hundreds of
Years Ago 1t was
A DREADED DISEASE
From Which Not a Single Person Is Ex-
empt and Thousands Die In
a Snort Time.

The reports of cases of smallpox,
which are being made from almost
every part of the United States, nat
urally has caused many to wonder
where the disease originated and
where the present epidemic started.
Questions to that effect are being
asked every day and SO that a fair
understanding Of the disease and its
history can be had, a prominent ply
sician was consultd by the Bee. Instead
of hismself expressing an opinion, the
Bee was referred to numerous autho--
tiles on the disease and from them
the following was taken.
1t has mover been determined in
what country smallpox originated.
The early Greek writer's on medicine
make no mention of the disease, but
the early books of India often speak
of it, 1t is said however to have eX-
listed in China hundreds of years be-
fore Christ. and like many of the
most terrible diseases seems to have
originated in that country.
In the sixth century the disease
was epidemic and subsequently, at the
time of the crusades, became terribly
widespread and from that time It's
terrible ravages have visited all parts
of the world
There are no records of the disease
in America until early in the 10th
century. when the Spaniards are given
credit with having introduced it into
the new world.
In the ninth century Rhazes, an Ar
abian physician, gave the first le-
scription of the disease, and his de-
scripton Is still the admiration Of
physicians. In the seventeenth cen
tury, Sydenham published thorough
study of the disease, ana he is still
one of the most trustworthy authori-
tles on the subject.
1t is one of the most virulent of
contagious diseases and persons ey-
posed, if unprotected by vaccination,
(Which was discovered by Jenner in
1889. are almost invariably attacked.
There are, however, Il few instances
on record of persons unacceptable to
the disease, but they are very few.
1t is no respector of ages, but is par
ticularly fatal to children, and both
males and females are equally az
fected.
Among aboriginal races smallpox is
terribly fatal The Indians have fre-
quently been decimated and the ne
gro is especially susceptible When
first introduced into America the Mex
leans died by the thousands.
The disease shoulders here and
there, in different localities, and when
conditions are favorable becomes cpl
demic. Perhaps the most remarkable
instance in modern times of the rapid
extension of the disease occurred in
Montreal in 1885. Smallpox had
been prevalent in that city between
1870 and 1875, when it died out, in
part owing to the exhaustion of suit
able maarial. and in part owing to the
introduction of animal vaccination.
The health reports show that the city
was free from the disease until 1885.
During these years vaccination, to
which many of the French Canadians
are opposed, was much neglected, SO
that large unprotected population
grew up in the city.
On February 2S Pullman car con-
ductOr who had been travelling from
Chicago, where the disease had been
slightly prevalent, was admitted into
the Hotel Dieu, the civic smallpox hos
pital being at the time closed. ISo-
lation was not carried out, and on
April /, a servant girl in the hospital
died of smallpox. Following her de-
cease, with a negligence absolutely
criminal, the authorities of the hos
pital dismissed all patients presenting
no symptoms of contagion. who could
go home. The disease spread like
fire in dry grass and within nine
months there died in the city, of
smallpox, 3,164 persons.
There are three kinds of smallpox,
Discrete, or continent, black smallpox
or smallpox modified by vaccination.
II develops in from to 10 days, but
more often at -, and has been known
tn Ialav Iovc haforo Joro1on;rr