The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-03-09

eruption for the most part, resembled
the chicken pox in its several varieties,
though in some instances it had the ap-
pearance either of discreet or continent
smallpox. OF this form of the disease he
saw or heard Of seventy-one cases, three
of which died, giving the proportion of
one in twenty three 1t is worthy of re-
mark that in two of the fatal cases the
attack required in a few weeks after
smallpox.
''The disease, in persons previously
vaccinated, seems not to have differed
materially from that under the immediate
preceding circumstances. Even when
the fever was ever so violent it almost
uniformly ceased on the appearance of
the eruption. Now and then, however. it
assumed the shape of the worst species of
smallpox and ran a protracted course
"Of three hundred and ten individuals
affected after vaccination, forty had the
disease a second time-only a single in
stance is mentioned of its returning a
third time, and repetitions of attack were
distinguished by no peculiarities 1t is
observable that a large proportion of
those who were seized with the disease
after vaccination, had been, in the inter-
walls, inoculated with smallpox, or ex-
posed to its agency without being affect
ed. From the accounts in my possession,
there was such an essential uniformity
as it prevailed generally abroad, that
what have stated may suffice to convey
an adequate notion of the epidemic.
1T broke out in November, 1918, at
Lancaster, Pa, and was alleged to be
traced to some German immigrants, who
disseminated it in passing through that
city into the interior of the country The
disease, it is true, attacked indscrimi-
nately the varioated, the vaccinated and
the unprotected, though not in the same
proportions. OF the first description, or
those who had previously had smallpox,
there were six cases, of whom none died
of the second or vaccinated forty, two
of whom, very young children, died in
commissions, and of the third or unpro-
tected three hundred and fifty among
whom were four deaths. This slender
mortality, with some other facts, led me
to suspect that the disease was varicella
1t may be remarked particularly, in con-
firmation of this suspicion, that chicken
pox seems everywhere to have preceded
or accompanied the more formidable cpl
demic.
I'm this city, so early as June, 1929
an eruptive force, which was considered
as ordinary varicella, made its appear
ance and spread very extensively. Cases
of this description gradually multiplied
and by the commencement of November
they had become numerous, though al
most exclusively confined to Southwark
one of our suburbs, among the poorest
class of our population.
1T was about this period that some
alarm was excited by the occasional oc-
currence of it in persons who had been
previously vaccinated, and such failures
daily increasing, no doubt was longer en-
tertained that the same epidemic, which
elsewhere produced so much solicitude,
had visited us. 1t attacked the vario-
lated, the vaccinated and unprotected,
occasioning those notifications, under the
several circumstances stated, which are
so accurately described by the foreign
writer's. AS far, indeed, as came under
my immediate observation, there was no
material difference. Every degree was
presented from that of the mildest vari-
celia to the most malignant smallpox
Generally 1t was of the former character
Commencing with a slight fever which
endured from one to three days, the
eruption appeared. Sometimes merely as
an difference, though usually as min
ute populae, many of which speedily dried
away, while others ran on to the forma-
ton of vesicles or postuleS. The latter
were of diverse shapes, conoidal, lenticu-
lar, oval, circular, flattened on the sur
face, with a central depression, and an
imperfect aureola, a resemblance more or
less to the vaccine or variolous pustule.
"a great difference existed as to the
extent of the eruption, and the manner in
which it came forth, in some instances
confined, and that very sparsely, to the
head--in others, the whole body was COW
cred pretty thickly, breaking out stimuli
taneouSly or in successive crops, occaS
icnally of one uniform character, or ex
ceedingly diversified, being popular, vesi-
cular CT puStular, etc. Commonly, all
S9brile excitement subsidized on the mani
festation of the eruption and copious as
this might be, it was not followed by any
secondary fever. The eruption rapidly
faded away. Even when consisting of
fustules, these began to dessicate, in two
or three days, into thin darkish scabs,
which soon after fell off, leaving
smoothe, forid surface, with, perhaps,
here and there pit Or indentation, or
small fungoid excrescence.
THE disease by the first of June
entirely subsidized Next winter however,
it reverted though sparsely and thence
ceased with, perhaps, here and there
separate case, till the succeeding winter,
whenit again returned very much in the
same manner as before. From 1925 to
1927 so little was seen of it that hopes
were entertained of its disappearance,
when it once more visited our city to
considerable extent. During the next two
years it became nearly extinct, and so
continued till the winter of $780, on which
occasion numerous cases occurred. Not
much was heard of it after that period,
though occasionally solitary instances
were met with But in 1888 it again re-
vived and spread widely, since which,
with the exception of the year 1910, we
have had scarcely any of it, and probably
| the epidemic has become exhausted.
Whatever may have been the disease
| lsewhere, it is hardly possible to con-
ceive that, as it originally existed at
Edinburgh, and especially in this city,