The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-01-21
ABOUT FREE OF SMALLPOX.
SAVANNAH HAS VERY LITTLE OF
THE DISEASE NOW.
SWIFT SPECIFIC CO.. Atlanta, Ga,

Report From Atlanta shows That
There Are only Fifty-twO Cases
There Arc only Four Cascs-Dis-
ease Here Has Been of a Peculiar
Iy Mild FOrm-Of the 800 or 100
Cases That Have Developed Since
the First, Only Three Patients
Have Dicd-Or. w. +. Brpnncr.
Health Officer, Discusses Smallpox
aud Conditions.
Savannah and Chatham county are
practically free from smallpox. The
greatest number of cases that
Savannah has had at one time
in years was thirty-four, and
now there are but three cases
in which the patients are cOlored and
but one in which the patient is white.
Fifty-two cases are reported in the
smallpox hospital of Atlanta, and the
information is given there that the
number is the smallest that has been
known in Atlanta in three years. This
shows theNfavorable condition of Sa-
vannah
Smallpox. as a result of the diliGent
and continuous efforts that have been
made to suppress it, has practically run
its course in Savannah. The watch
fUlness. and care of the health authori-
ties suffer no abatement, howevr. and
no pains will be spared until the com
plete eradication of the disease has
been accomplished.
Health officer Drummer was seen yes
terday about the smallpox conditions i'm
Savannah. When compared with the
report from Atlanta. the situation at
Savannah is most remarkable, as it
would not seem that two cities of the
same state would show such a wide
difference i'm the number of smallpox
cases under treatment.
"At the pest house now" said DR..
Drummer, there are four cases of
smallpox, three being colored and one
white few weeks ago there was not
a single case, the last having been dis
charged. Last winter there were either
thirty-two or thirty-four cases under
treatment here, and that was the great
est during the visitation.
THE disease has been remarkably
mild in its type; so mnd in fact, that
it has often deceived older physicians.
a
of the medical colleges and hospitals
have been able to recognize the malady
when they have seen it, but some of
the older physicians, not having be-
fore encountered ii in a form not Sc
we're, have been at sea.
so mild has been the disease during
the last visitation Savannah has had
from it that there have. been but three
deaths-al of colored patients In New
deaths during the time the disease has
ragged there, for it was of a much more
severe type. The ratio of deaths at
Savannah is very slight, for there have
been 300 or 400 cases treated
Because the smallpox has taken no
malignant form during its visitation
upon Savannah some have been con-
strained to call it by another name.
THE disease is not smallpox; it is
buffalo Itch" said one gentleman of
prominence. discussing the situation
DR.. Drummer was asked about this.
1T is but a show of ignorance" he
said. 1.-THE disease is smallpox, and
nothing else. There is "A collection of
names that are given the malady, and
il may be called any one of them. but
IL is smallpox. nevertheless. II is
called buffalo itch Cuban itch mig
ger mango, and other things but ii is
all smallpox"
IL has been universally conceded that
smallpox foIused the concentration of
troops in ths south during the Spanish
War. d.. Drummer takes this view.
and says that il has been the history
of the disease to follow wars and the
concentration of large bodies OF men.
There was no smallpox at Savan-
% nah" he said, prior to the coming of
Sherman's army, or. II there was, there
was not enough. of IL to cause 1t &c APP
4.
OF the army. however, came smallpox
and the disease remained i'm Savannah
until 1871 IL was here again later. but
there was no visitation of " between
1897 and the coming Of the troops
which brought IL back from Cuba and
caused its spread throughout the coun-
try"
DR.. Drummer was asked how be ac.
counted for the mild form in which
smallpox has manifested Itself here
but he was somewhat al loss TO do SO
He said that he thought that vaccina.
ton has been alternating the disease
and that II may be to the agency Of th'
vaccine that the race Of the disease II
rs more deadly nature, seems TO b,
reaching is end.
The disease Is widespread. DR.. Brun
ner said. and he IN pleased 10 know tina
savannah shows 20 vel in comparison
with other places. ~ q smallpox *
pert. Dr. d3runDer's Fcrtlcee have beer
ln demand. and he has been called
away quite frequently of late 10 pro
ncuuce upon cases found Do this eec
ton.
Inr most recent reports upon ib'
ulailpoH situation ihfOuRbnui 90,
ounirf' fBld Dr. lflnnnef. "fhOw fls
fn0fFlH NJ better m fhsu aug ~ fili
states Included Dob fhe reports This b