THE VITALITY OF SMALLPOX GERMS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1633, 11 August 1887, Page 3

THE VITALITY OF SMALLPOX GERMS

In a paper on the " Theory and Practice of Disinfection," published m the " Sanitary Record," Dr Alfred Carpenter relates that he was staying some years ago at Oban, In the Western Highlands, when he wan informed by a medical gentleman than resident at that place that he had several oases of smallpox on the island of Mall which were very curious m their origin. "I had," he said " a case of smallpox at the same place on the south-west coaßt it the island three years before — some distance of course from Tobernv ry. The young person died, and the friends of the dead person left. the cottage... It beoatne untenanted, and went to run. The roof fell m, and it was fully exposed to the Atlantio galo? ; but last summer the estate passed into other bands. The new landlord arranged to have some new cottages built at the cpot formerly occupied by the ruined Bhanty. A gang of men was Bent from Tobormory to pull down the old place; they did so, and now seven of them have the e/nal!---pox," It is supposed that they disturbed an old mattretß upon whloh the former patient had died, and which had be n left In the shanty, and In it some of the resting spores of the case had been kept m a state of dormant vitality for throe years, There was no other case ii tha Island of Mull, or upon the mainland of Scotland any where near to Oban, to the knowledge of my informant, at that tima.