SMALL-POX OUTBREAK.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 928, 29 June 1903, Page 3

SMALL-POX OUTBREAK.

By Telegraph - Press Association—Copyright Launceston, June 27. A proclamation has been issued, lning ing the LLcuhri Act inlo force throughout Tasmania. The outbreak lias paralysed trade in the city. Numbers of employers uro discharging their men. A meeting of tho ministers of tho various denominations de jkltd to keep the churches and Sunday sc oola open. Hobart, Juno 27. A cable message has been rcc iw-tl front Mr Seddon, declining to relax tlio quaraii tine regulations. Seventy-two niunb-rs of Mr Williamson’s Operatic Company have been vacct nated at Hobart, and are leaving for Sydney. They havo abandoned their Launceston season.

All tlio Australian States are effecting the strictest precautions. Two fresh cases of small pox have occurred irt tlio suburbs. The supply ol lymph is exhausted. Vaccination ih consequently suspended. A supply is expected next week from New Zealand.

BOSTON, May JO. Dr William Thomas Cmmeilimui, a pathologist, who carries weight with the medical profession here, claims to have discovered the cause of small-pox’, it is regarded as. the most important medical di.st.-every every made in Boston. The few members of the medical profession who have been made aware of tlio nature of the acliicve-

merit are most enthusiastic, ami declare that his work will he immortal as lie has accomplished that which will rank with some of the ren arkahle facts which Pasteur has given to science. When asked 1o furnish some details Dr Councilman would at that stage go tio farther than to say tiiat the cause of small-pox was definitely known. Through his investigations, knowledge is obtained that the cause of sumo-pox is a protozoa, tho lowest form of animal lifo, and this is responaib'e for the highly contagious character of tho disease. A protozoa is different from tho bacillus. Tho latter is a vegetable organism, while tho former belongs to tho auirnal king (Join. Tho investigation of small-pox therefore, proporly belongs to the dopurt moot of pathology, rather than to tho department of bactotology. This ncccoruplishmont of Dr Councilman was made possible by tho outbreak of h/nall pox in and about Boston more than a year ago. It gave him opportunity for investigation ami provided him with material fur observation. As it is rare, in this part of Iho world, that there nr. enough eases to form the basis for a medical inquiry concerning the origin of small pox, Dr Councilman and his two as sistanis worked continuously dinar g til few months when it was iojpo-sih'e Hi

obtain specimens from small pox patients for examination.

it is undr rstimd ihut the physicians obtained the skin of ufilcted persons in various stagos of developemont and virnlerico. The numerous specimens with other exhibits secured, wore examined under the microscope. Tin's was a labor of months; for to detect tho organism responsible for the disease they must find onu that was present in every easo of small pox. I'o determine its form and condition required a scrutiny of every manifestation of small pox it was possible to obtain from patients.

After tho physici ms had satisfied themselves as to the character of the organism they had detected the task was far from accomplished. Belore they could say it was Die small pox protozoa they must hist demonstrate that an animal inueulatid with that particular organism would ex hibit all tho manifestations of small pox. It is understood that Dr Councilman and his assistants mado experiment after experiment upon such animals as are known to bo susceptablo to small-pox, inoculating them with the organism, and that tlio result was a comploto substantiation of their theory us to tho cause of small pox. This Ims been one of tho important stages of tiio investigation. Tho manifesta lions wore so positive that all who havo beer told of tho results of tho experiments assured Dr Councilman that it was impossible that any error had been made in reaching his conclusions. While tho establishment of the aetiology of small pox is itself of groat value, it is expocted that Dr Councilman's discovory will lead to revelations regarding tho cause of other kindred diseases, tho chiof manifestation of which is in tho skin.