Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-03-22

DOCTORS TALK OF SMALLPOX.

DOCTORS TALK OF SMALLPOX.
Its Mortality IL Increasing, DIR. Hub
| bard Says.
DR.. s. Dana Hubbard was one of three
physicians of the board Of health wht
talked about smallpox at last night,
meeting of the New York State Mcdica
association. None ofthe three had any
thing to say about the prevalence OF the
disease in this country or about the
mortality rate Of smallpox.
DR.. Hubbard was asked about this
at the close Of the session, and he said
"As a matter Of fact, the mortality
| is increasing. It is greater this veal
than it was last, but I purposely AVOID
ed saying anything about that because
I didn't want to bring on a discussion
as to the cause.
There is a difference Of opinion
among physicians on that point Some
think that the greater prevalence Of the
disease and the increase Of the death
rate are due to the treatment. don't
In my opinion the country has beer
reinfected from the Philippines in the
last two or three years. I believe thai
the old smallpox infection in this coun'
! try had practically died out and thai
the recent epidemics have been brought
in from the outside"
DR.. Charles S. Benedict read the first
paper at the meeting. It was on small.
pox and its differentiation. He tolt
how the earlier symptoms Of smallpox
may be confused with those Of mea'
sles and chickenpox and said that ar
accurate and early diagnosis Is some.
times impossible. The only safe rule
to follow, he said, is to assume that the
diagnosis for smallpox has been made
and then go ahead and take all precau.
tions against the spread Of the disease
DR.. Hubbard's paper was on the
treatment Of smallpox. He began BY
saying that no sure and specific cure
for the disease has yet been found, bu,
that the indications are that the cause
will soon be discovered, and then the
cure will follow.
After telling Of all the precautions
that should be taken, including the
methods Of isolation and transportation
of a patient, to the hospital, DR.. Hub
bard told what q smallpox hospita
should be like. He referred to the
health boards reception hospital at the
foot of East Sixteenth street as mode
institution. It Is too common mis-
take to suppose that an old barn or any
other structure, fit only to burn, Is gooc
enough for a smallpox hospital, he said
It would be better to treat a patien,
with an axe than send him to such ar
institution.
After treating smallpox patient,
added DR.. Hubbard, "a physician shoulc
vaccinate himself, every member Of
his family and his servants. He should
do more than that. He should vacci'
nate, without charge, every other pa
tient he calls on after leaving the small
pox patient and he should tell those
other patients frankly that he has beer
exposed to the disease"
In speaking Of the treatment DR.
Hubbard said that whisky Is some.
times beneficial and he told Of one pa.
tient who drank four quarts IN ~
hours and was greatly benefited by 1t
The speaker then quoted an old-time
physician, who said, "Never let youl
smallpox patient die sober"
DR.. Frank S. Fielder Of the bacter.
iological department Of the board ol
health read paper on efficient vacci
nation. He said that four or five scars
made at one time are much more ef'
ficient than one and read lot nf sta.
tistics from English medical authorities
to support this theory.
Dr. D. P. Austin took exception tt
that and said that frequent revaccina'
tion Of one scar each time was mora ef.
fective than one vaccination Of four OF
five scars. DR.. Fielder replied that HI
was a firm believer in revacc'ratior
and that it could not be had too often
but that the primary vaccination shoulc
be in four different places on the body
at the same time.
There were no antivaccinationists
present. DR.. John Brandt said:
"The Observation-Disclosures say thai
compulsory vaccination Is an infringe
ment of personal liberty. I say thai
an unvaccinated person Is menace tt
the entire community's right to keeI
well."-New ork Sun.