The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 19, 1872.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 171, 19 July 1872, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 19, 1872.

The two isolated cases of smallpox which occurred almost simultaneously at Auckland and Wellington gave rise to no little alarm in the colony, but it was hoped that by the adoption of stringent measures its further spread might be checked ; however, from the telegrams which have lately reached us from these two towns it would seem that we had been too sanguine, and that the terrible once introduced, is not to be so easily got rid of

Hitherto these have been no signs of its appearance in Nelson, but, in constant communication 88 we are with Wellington, there is no knowing how soon we mayhave to record ila arrival here. It is, therefore, a satisfaction to find that every precaution ia being taken to render it aa harmless as possible, should it unfortunately break out in our midst. Vaccination ia being largely resorted to, and the Board of Health i 3 making preparations to meet any emergency that may arise. The Astrolabe will form an excellent quarantine ground for any ship that may arrive in our harbor with the disease ou board, but this is an event that can scarcely bo looked for, the evil we have specially to guard against being its introduction in the person of some passenger who may land here, to all appearauces, in perfect health, but who yet bears within him the " germs of the dreaded disease. In such a case it would be necessary to have some building to which he may at ouce be removed, and such a building has, we undersiand, been already ordered by the Board, but up to the present time they have not decided upon the site whereon to erect it. The Boulder Bank, some distance above the lighthouse, has been suggested as a fitting spot, but. the objection, whether or not a sound one we are not in a position to say, has been raised that the infection might be carried from thence ou the sen breeze which sets in towards the town every morning. The Maitai, and Brook-street Valleys have also been mentioned as being seciuded, out-of-the-way spots, and therefore affording fitting sites for the erection of a temporary hospital, but, if there were no other objection, there exists Ibis one, that there are no reserves in these localities, and obstacles might be placed in the way by the proprietors of the land. We have, however, every confidence in the Board, who, we may be sure, will use every endeavor in their power to make such arrangements as are best adapted to meet an emergency which we sincerely trust may never arise, but against which too great precautions cannot be laken. A special meeting is to be held on Monday next, when the question of the most suitable locality will come under discussion, and, it is to be hoped, some definite decision be arrived at. At the present time when this matter has assumed 6uch a painful iuterest for us, the following extract from an English periodical received by the last mail raay not be out of place. It is headed " Vaccination a cure for smallpox," and runs as follows : — " Mr. R. O. Furley, M.RC.S.L., in a letter to the Scotsman, says that he is able to prove that vaccination is not only a preventive of smallpox but a cure for it. It is, he says, ascertained that when a person liable to smallpox is* exposed to the infection, the poisou circulates in the blood for eight days before producing any febrile symptoms ; then commence headache, sickness, pain in the back, suffused eyes, and a peculiarly white-furred tongue — a group of symptoms that belong to no other disease, and which last for three days. It has beea held and acted on since Jenner's great discovery, more than eighty years ago, that it is not only wroug but fatal to vaccinate anyone during that stage of the disease, or the subsequent one when tiie eruption makes its appearance. But Mr. Furley says he can show from cases under his care at the present time that if you vaccinate during the febrile Btage the fever is slightly increased, but the eruption does not make its appearance, and if you vaccinate during the eruptive stage the eruption is immediately arrested. The mature limph overtaken the immature poison, and the disease terminates. If the eruption has gone the length of having white tops there is finger of infection; if not, it dies away in pimpies. Mr. Furley feels confident that if every doctor were to vaccinate each case of smallpox that comes under his care at once, many hundreds of lives would be spared."

was received. The parlor magic of Mr. M'Laren was exceedingly pood, and the various tricks, though not altogether new, were very creditably performed, the manipulation beiug both quick and clever. Tho songs and dance which followed drew forth loud applause, and the entertainment was brought to a close with what was very appropriately termed in the programme the "side-splitting darkey farce" of "Rooms to let without board," in which the youth who "did" the monkey, and played the tambourine, fairly brought down the house. The whole performance was worthy of a larger audience, and judging from the successful manner ia which it passed off, we expect to see a far better muster to-night. Tomorrow, a " Matinee " will be given for the convenience of children.