i3
4 Che Conservative *
VA 11101,011) AT WAl'AKONETA.
11V .IAS. T. WIIITTAKKH , > ! . ! > . , CINCINNATI.
October 4 I was called by Dr. G. B.
Nichols , of Wapakoneta , O. , on behalf
of some of the citizens of that place , to
determine the character of an eruptive
disease which was at that time epidemic
in that town. There had been some
difference of opinion as to the character
of the disease , but the fear was enter
tained , and the opinion expressed by
some of the physicians , that the disease
was smallpox , and the business interests
of the city were being seriously affected.
On my arrival I found that Dr. Probst ,
one of the members of the state board
of health , had also been invited to in
spect the cases. I had , however , no
intercourse with Dr. Probst , as it was
thought best that each of us should
make his own examination and express
his own opinion. There seemed to be
an idea that the health officer of the
state would feel himself in duty bound
to consider the cases at least contagious ,
and that under the circumstances it
might be expected of me to be some
what more lenient. What the people
wanted , however , was the truth at any
cost , as far as we could give it. The
statement was made that there were or
had been thirty or forty cases in the city
or its immediate vicinity , and probably
two hundred in the county or adjoining
counties.
There was considerable excitement in
the place , and little knots of people
were gathered together opposite each
house as we entered. Every house
visited was placarded as being infected
with contagious disease , and one house
was distinctly marked smallpox.
We were received kindly in all the
houses save one. I was much impressed
with this fact. In the one house there
was some hesitation in bringing forward
the case , and qxiite fierce denunciation
of the physician who had declared the
disease to be smallpox , the elderly lady
iu attendance insisting upon it that the
disease was measles , although she could
recall the fact that the patient had had
measles in childhood. She always knew
smallpox by the "smell. "
I was then conveyed about in a car
riage with Dr. Nichols and a local of
ficer of the city , and made an examina
tion of the following cases :
A. M. , young man , aged twenty. Has
never been vaccinated. Taken sick
September 21 , in the midst of health ,
with severe headache and intense pain
in the back , followed on the next day
by a chill with fever. The temperature
taken September 28 registered 102.5 ° .
September 25 an eruption showed itself
on the face and hands and spread grad
ually over the body in the course of a
few days. The eruption is marked at
the present time , October 4 , nine days
after the first appearance on the face.
It is scattered over the body in the form
of pustules , varying in size from a large
pea to a small Lima bean , some of which
are umbilicated , and some of which are
thoroughly distended. At the present
time there is no fever and the general
condition is good.
C. S. , young man , aged nineteen.
Was vaccinated in infancy , but the arm
was sore for only two days. There is
no mark on the arm. September 22 , in
the midst of health , was taken sick
with a chill , the temperature registering
1013.5s to 104 ° in the course of twenty-
four hours. There were with the chill
pain in the head and nausea. Septem
ber 2(5 ( three spots appeared on the fore
head , which enlarged to become vesicles
and subsequently pustules. These spots
spread gradually over the body , to be
come so numerous as to run together on
the feet. At the present time eight
days after the appearance of the erup
tion , the pustules appear much dried up
on the face , though there are a few
large pustules on the hands , some of
which are distinctly umbilicated. This
pustular eruption is still confluent on
the toes and ankles.
E. M. , girl , aged thirteen. Has never
been vaccinated. Has had washing
done at a house at which there was a
disease marked by an eruption. Was
taken sick September 25 with a chill ,
fever and nausea , but no vomiting ; felt
very tired and dizzy. September 28
first eruption appeared on the forehead
and one spot on the wrist ; the tempera
ture taken for the first time on the fourth
day registered 104.5 ° . Suffered a good
deal from sore throat. The eruption at
the present time , six days after its first
appearance , is vesicular and pustular ,
and shows itself over the whole body ,
presenting the appearance of a well-
marked discrete variola.
M. K. , a boy , aged six. Never vacci-
hated. Taken sick September 24 with
chill and vomiting. Was very sick at
this time , vomiting on the second day.
Suffered , however , no pain in the header
or back. September 27 an eruption ap
peared on the face , to spread on the
next day over the body. The spots
were always isolated and have now
nearly disappeared. This case is re
markable as the only one in a large
family , the oldest member of which , a
boy aged seventeen , being the only
member vaccinated in infancy. None
of the rest was ever vaccinated , and no
others have as yet shown any signs of
the disease.
R. M. , boy , aged twelve. Never
vaccinated. Taken sick in perfect
health September 17. Lost his appe
tite , felt badly all over , but complained
especially of weariness. The fever is said
to have been high , registering on the
10th 104 ° . The patient now felt pain
in the head , was dizzy , the face was
flushed , the eyes red. September 21 an
eruption appeared as pimples , to become -
come later vesicular and pustular , on
the face , and extended thence over the
whole body , but was especially marked
on the fingers. It is now fading , leav
ing crusts.
M. B. , young woman , aged nineteen.
Never vaccinated. Had chickenpox
at the age of six and measles at the age
of seven. Was taken sick Juno 20 with
fever. The day was Monday. On the
following Thursday an eruption ap
peared "like measles , " first on the
hands , to spread thence over the whole
body. The eruption "stayed out" about
two weeks. The face was so swollen
that the patient could not see. Patient
declares that she counted forty "spots"
on the middle finger of one hand. At
the present time , after the lapse of
three months and about two weeks ,
the face shows universal pitting as if
from a previous attack of severe variola.
The cicatrices are still pinkish , not
white.
In the family of Mr. E. K. four boys
and two girls have been affected since
the first case showed itself in the middle
of last August. We had been referred
to this house as the probable source of
all the rest , but the father of the child
ren declared that the boys had got it
from another family , B. , two squares
distant , who had it on the last of June.
Upon inquiry it appeared that this fam
ily , B. , contracted the disease from a
family , H. , living two squares still far
ther away , and they in turn from a fam
ily , S. , two squares distant from them in
the month of May. The boys of this
family hod been away fishing , and had
apparently brought the disease back
with them. The testimony was now be
coming hearsay evidence only , which we
did not think it necessary further to
pursue.
Having visited these various houses ,
and having been assured by the physi
cians that the other cases were of ex
actly similar character , I felt that I had
collected evidence enough to pronounce
a positive opinion to the effect that the
epidemic was a very light and mild var
iola , constituting what is commonly
known as varioloid.
In justification of this diagnosis the
following points presented themselves :
1. Not a single one of these cases had
been vaccinated. In one the attempt
had been made , but as the arm was
"sore" for only two days this attempt
could in no way be regarded as a vacci
nation.
2. The disease affected all ages. The
youngest case which I saw was six , the
oldest twenty. I was assured , however ,
that infants had been attacked , and one
had actually died of the disease , the only
fatal case so far , as well as adults in
more advanced life.
. The coses were all alike. Upon
this point there could be no question ,
and there had been no differences of
opinion. The individuals in perfect
health were seized with chill , fever ,
malaise , headache , and sometimes ,