WAS IT SMALLPOX?

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1984, 14 February 1914, Page 6

WAS IT SMALLPOX?

■' ——* THE RECENT EPIDEMIC. REVIEWED BY THE MEDICAL CONGRESS. i UNDOUBTEDLY THE REAL THING. t t- ■ (Br IWojrajh.—ProM AiioolatlenJ . ' Auckland,. February 13. At the Medical Congress, Dr. Monk, of ;the Public Health l3epa rtment,. road a paper: "Diagnosis of Smallpox, and tho Best Means of Preventing its Spread." In tho light of tlio recent "cpjdc.mi.Qß;>in- Now Zealand and New South Wales, he described the cases that camo under the Department's observations, and said tho effects of vaccination caused us to alter our opinion to ono that we bad a variety of smallpox to deal with, and not chicken pox. It had been said that the disease could not have been smallpox, because of so few deaths, hut,, while it was not fatal to white people, tho epidemic had caused thirty deaths among the Maoris. One lesson to bo learned was the necessity, for compulsory vaccination. Most-of tho trouble in the diagnoses, , said Dr. Monk, had been caused be- [ cause the rash did not go through its various stages in the accustomed manner. In true varrola, the papule was noticeable-at the end 'of twenty-four hours, and began, to become shotty. In the recent outbreak the papule was, . formed more rapidly, and became vesii cular at the end of.twenty-four nours. > To sum up tho question of the recent - epidemic rash, I should say that. its i chief characteristic ■ is its 'superficial,ness'; its rapid development, aiid equal- ■ ly: rapid fall are in marked contrast to" the usual variety of smallpox. In ■ very many cases the true skin was not [ invaded at all, and in ono case I saw, i which had been fata], the scabs, when ■ touched, slid off, leaving the true skin ■ beneath without a marie."-' ' Dr. Monk then proceeded to refer to 1 a report by Dr. Chaplin on tho mildness of a smallpox outbreak in Amor--1 ica, which has existed there since 1896. In the intervening years the mild'type 1 Jiad ■ kept its characteristics, and had not tended to increase in severity. ■ Tlie same might .be said-of the .outbreak in New Zealand. "People are apt to say, added Dr. Monk, in conclusion, 'that the disease cannot'be smallpox because there are so few deaths, and ma. community liko. the' Maoris, if it were smallpox there would be numbers 1 of deaths, as'instanced in tho, heavy ! "ortahty caused.,by' new ' diseases of a febrile type, when introduced amongst a coloured race. In answer to that, I may. say-that this is exactly what has happened. This epidemio has not been fatal to white people, whilst amongst the Maoris-, we .know for cer< tain of- thirty deaths. Dr Chaplin . remarks .'that wherever this mud -type of smallpox has appeared developed- a controversy as to its ' nature. -The - ' public and general practitib'ner's- consider smallpox a' serious- disease,"' and they; are loath to • believe: that- ! a'n" affection bo mild a? is usually.'observed'-'in'this type of dis 1 :ease can be . smallpox.' 'Dr. Chaplin says that Central America.and Mexico are homes of smallpox. -'With' the opening of the Paifama Canal New Zealand will be brought- into closer touch with these regions, which is, ] think, another reason for vaccination." Two other papers by prominent Syd ney. doctors were read, both of wh'ich supported, the contention that tho epidemic of sma'lpox had been of a very mi ' c ], f°rm, similar to epidemics known* as Spanish measles, alastrim. etc?" 1 '- 1 "' ' Tho papers were discussed at considerable 'length, but only Dr. Hurst, of Whangarei, who -has all along contended that the general diagnosis was a mistaken one, and whose arguments 'are ; familiar, held that tho 1 epidemic was not; smallpox. On the motion of Dr. Stapley, of Cambridge, seconded by Dr. Newell, of Lyttelton, it was resolved:— "In the opinion of this congress the epidemic which recently visited Australia and Now Zealand was j undoubtedly smallpox." Dr. Hurst was the only dissentient. • Dr. Stapley moved, and Dr. Graham Huller (Queensland) seconded:— > "That, taking into consideration the fact that this disease- has been introduced, and that it will be very difficult to eradicate, this congress strongly urges the various-Govern-ments of Australia and New Zealand to. enforce vaccination and revaccination as the only - practical method"'of stamping it out." The motion was unanimously adopted.