The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-06
SMALLPOX BIG
UNDER The LENS
Details of Discovery ofFormi-
dabIe Microbe.
is RING IN CHILDHOOD
Dr. Councilman Shows Para
site by Lantern.

Boston, May Sat a meeting held last
night of the Boston Society for the Medi-
cal Sciences, DR.. William T Councilman,
Shattuck professor OF pathological anato-
my in the Harvard Medical School,
made a further report on his recent dis
coYeries as 10 the cause of smallpox The
announcement, which was rather full.
seemed absolutely convincing. and Its in
portance is atteSted to by the intense in
terest which the first rumors as to the
discovery have created in the last few
days. and Dy the enthusiasm by which
the news was received. The work on
which these deductions are based has been
in progress for about two years the evo-
luton of the complete hypothesis being
gradual. DIR. Churchman'S assistants in
the work have been DIS. Magrath AMI
Brickerhoeff OF the Long Island and Bos-
ton City Hospitals respectively. who have
had the opportunity of studying a very
large amount of material of q rich and
varied character.
Attention of histologists has long been
drawn to certain bodies within the cells
of the epidermis in smallpox separate
from the nucleus, but taking nuclear
stains. The only theories that these So
called cell inclusions' or smallpox bodies
We're protocol, and the cause of the dis
ease, found little credence. and were
soon generally abandoned the prevailing
opinion being that they were merely
forms of degenerated protoplasm. II is
these bodies, however that DR. Council
man has now proved to be really PROTOCOL
of low order. and undoubtedly respon-
sible for the disease They are not bac-
terra being animals instead of plants. and
allied 10 the amoebae The complete life
cycle of the parasite has been worked
out without break in the chain. by means
of a long series Of microscopic sections.
There are two stages I'm the cycle as IS
usual with protocol. one asexual and the
other probably sexual. though this latter
point requires stiI further confirmation.
The first stage takes place perfectly def
nitely i'm the protOplasm Of the epidermal
call, the second within the nucleus itself
II is the first form which IS the small
pox body" the second. or the intranuclear
form. having been previously overlooked.
with the stages Of the disease, a cursoTy
examination of a given specimen enabling
an exact prediction as TO the forms which
win be found on minute inspection. Thu
whole duration Of both cycles however is
a matter of only a few days. occurring
early in the disease. and the parasites
being in the spore stage before the usual
time OF death from smallpox when the
pathoIogist obtains his material This
accounts for the fact that the organism
has been sought for through so many
years without success.
The earliest appearance microscopIcalIy
of the protozoan is as n small homogen-
eous dot within the protoplasm Of the
cell. This gradually grows without mleh
effect upon its cell-host. and at the same
time becomes quite granular. II at length
becomes as large as the nucleus itself. or
even larger, and is quite typicauy amoe-
bold in shape. II finally grows very
coarsely granular and then breaks up
into many small dots or rings exactly
resembling the earliest form above. This
ends the first stage Of the life cycle.
Each Of these small bodies IS now able
to reinfect a neighboring cell and repeat
this same cycle. or It can infect the cell
nucleus and begin on the second cycle
II has been found that in the rabbit or
the COW only the first cycle takes place
no forms in the second stage having been
found IN these animals after repeated
search. This is thought 10 mean that this
first stage, unaccompanied by the sec
ond. represents the disease vaccinia. or
cowpox. the COW and the rabbi not being
susceptible to true smallpox. In the mon
key. however. which does have true
smallpox. and. Of course. IN man, the
second stage is found.
This is first seen as a very small ring
within the nucleus Of the epiderrnal cell
This ring grows. becoming meanwhile
vacuolated or spo1gy looking. until Il
comes 70 I'll up the nucleus and finally
destroys II. then floating free IN the de-
generating tissues. This form when full
grown is OF considerable slze-ab bout twice
the diameter OF red blood corpuscle. j..
IS now what a sexual process IS believed
to take place. When ripe the protozoan
IS seen TO be composed OF a large mum
Der OF small rings Ike the firm form seen
within the nucleus. and these finally sep
arate They are belived 10 be spores, ex-
listing IN a hardy resting stage. and arc
contained in the ripe smallpox pustuies IN
countless NUMBER when the scab dries
and comes OF these pores are admir- bly,
ADAPTED 20 disseminate the disease By Do
Ing carried everywhere Il has repeated
Is been observed that smallpox Infection
can be carried 70 considerable distancas
b. the wind alone. and this offers q salts
factory explanation = the fact
Al the conclusion of his remarks. D.
Councilman showed q series ~ Atty NJ
more very remarkable lantern sliae1
taken from photornicrngranhs ~ the srec-
linens upon zhich the work Rad been
done. IN these the cells we're sea1 - D.
fuH ~ these parasites Fl every STAGE De-
scrsbed and shown n perfectly logical
sequence ore slide Dr. Councilman con
slsered particularly important: e shgzsef
a rraU blood vessel q the Skin. co1fasu-
GnE many az The small rings. fhe vosazeTt
eo-rn % tn parasite This Indicated that
the infection So universally pcsfglstesi.
Is CARED q the sksa r. fhe ha-sf- It Eas
this specimen foung only within a feE
DAYS. and sagrlT3-g fhe only Ink usnsins
r. he lffs circle. fhst e1ngiessd fhe work
q fzo years. aed ed III. Cosnellrlan %
make bis annoancemeut a. TIE psss.ai
time
Afier Tr Courez-nan bad concI2s.sl Or
c. p Cabins adsnnct Y-ofeeser - -
oiozv f- Casur-sis f-nirerslfy. zbe vas
present. was asEea fe say a feu Harls.
-. C-Rius s. r~esrses3 a. ~ sefberfE