THE SMALL POX IN MELBOURNE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 13, Issue 660, 1 March 1869, Page 4

THE SMALL POX IN MELBOURNE.

(From the Argus, February 2.) The long agitated question, " smallpox or chicken p?>x," has been at last definitely answered in a manner little expected. Two of the patients at Greensborough are dead —the infant ol Mrs Whatmough, and a man named R ose — a nd the symptoms which were developed in the progress of the dis rase in these two cases have induced Dr. M'Crae to change his opinion as to its nature. The chief medical officer was over at Greensborough yesterday ; he carefully inspected all the cases, and came back satisfied that not only the two dead persons, but also a third (Mrs Chapman), who has taken the infection from nursing Mrs What mough, suffered from veritable, genuine, small-pox. Further than that, his investigations have carried him to the conclusion that so far as Greensborough is concerned, the epidemic there has been all along a modified form of small-pox, As it is admitted that the disease was communicated to the sufferers at Greensborough through a too close intercourse with the infected neighborhood of Melbourne, it follows as a consequence that the same conclusions must apply to the out break here. This result fully confirms the truth of our observations in reference to this subject in the Argus, of January 9, where we plainly stated—- " The truth is that the disease, as it has appeared in this city, is modified small-pox; and investigations of late years have led to the conclusion that many cases of what is frequently regarded as varicella are true variola, and between these, as may be readily imagined, there is little if any difference." And again, two days after, when Dr. M'Crae had taken objection to our statement —" These cases are not those of absolute and typical variola, and they are in like manner removed from what may be termed representative varicella; but as their leading indications point to the former disea.se, it is only reasonable to conclude that they are akin to it." The reasonableness of the conclusion is no longer disputed, and ic is satisfactory to have been able, even at so sad a cost, to determine a dispute which had begun to assume a disagreeable and almost personal aspect, At the same time no charge of indifference or apathy can be properly brought against the chief medical officer, Though he was under the impression that the dis ease was not small-pox, the same precautionary and preventive measures have been taken as if that scourge was threatened. Vaccination, disinfectants, isolation of patients, and the destruction of infected articles—these were the means employed from the fixk, and so well has the work teen done that the disease seems extinguished in the city. Greensborough remained too long without attention, simply because attention was not called to it, bit now tent*, bedding, Stores, and every necessary to complete isolation are on the spot, and jiurses are advertised for to attend ppon the sufferers, We regret to learn fbat. three- erfour feesfe cases m w,

ported as having occurred at Diamond Greek, a place three or four miles from Greensborough, It was also rumoured that a person had been taken ill at Prahan, but the report is as yet without confirmation. (From the Argus, February 3.) There are reasons for supposing that small-pox is more prevalent in Melbourne than is believed, We are informed that two cases of a very serious disease having taken a confluent occurred in West Melbourne. The patients are children, and the matter is kept quiet because their parents dread being interfered with. All the children at the Sunbiiry Industrial Schools have been vaccinated, and the Superintendent intends issuing an order directing all the officers of the institution to be vaccinated also. Those who refuse to comply will have to leave." In order still further to guard against the disease, all children now committed to the schools will first be sent on board one of the hulks in the bay, there to be vaccinated, and undergo a period of probation.