Types. — Any one or all of these varieties of the disease
may run through their course, ending in perfect recovery; or
the symptoms may be characterized by extreme severity or
prostration from the beginning. This is the " malignant " type
of the disease; the others are the " mild " or ^* benignant."
MEDICINAL. ^C*^
Course of the Eruption. — In the ordinary course of the
disease, the pimples are red and inflamed by the end of the
second day; after this, they gradually begin to show a conical
apex, filled with a colorless fluid, and, by the fifth day, they
present a small vesicle of this fluid with flattened instead of
a conical top. The vesicles from this date alter in appearance,
and become pustules, being filled with matter which is " ma-
ture " by the eighth day. In this state of the eruption the
surrounding skin is red and swollen, and it is at this point that
the eyelids swell considerably from the looseness of their tex-
ture. The patient is then commonly spoken of as being blind,
but in truth he is only blinded for a time. Some pimples appear
also in the mouth, and throat, in most cases causing hoarseness
and cough.
Stage of Decline. — -After the maturation of the pustules
on the eighth day, up to the eleventh day, the pustules begin to
dry up and form scabs. This scabbing process, however, does
not proceed equally over the body, and may last for several
weeks on the extremities. It is accompanied by a return of
febrile symptoms, often rather severe, and attended with excite-
ment of the brain. This has been termed the "secondary
fever." It generally begins to subside after the eleventh day,
which has been regarded by some observers as a "critical day."
Pitting is pretty sure to follow on unprotected or natural small-
pox. Such is the ordinary course of natural small-pox, in its
non-malignant form.
Modified Small-pox. — If the subject of small-pox has
been vaccinated, the disease may be cut short at any one of its
stages, and disarmed of its dangers. The eruption is rendered
slighter, and less likely to leave pits. The fever is slighter, so
much so as often to exceed very little that of chicken-pox. It
may be affirmed that as a rule vaccinated cases of small-pox
recover with very little of ill effects of any kind, beyond dis-
colored traces of the pustules, which gradually fade away.
Malignant Small-pox. — This form of disease is marked
from its outset by signs of nervous depression, and deteriora-
tion of the blood. The pulse indicates loss of strength, while
the blood shows grave alterations in its composition, such as
blood spots on the skin, resembling bruises and flea-bites.
The pimples scarcely go into the vesicular or pustular stage,
but becomes filled with extravasated blood, giving them a pur-
ple hue. When vesicles of this character are seen, even if it be
among others of a healthier aspect, they betoken more than
usual danger. Haemorrhage from internal organs most com-
monly follows, and the patient succumbs in the course of a few
days.
364 MEDICINAL.
The conditions most favorable to recovery from small-pox
are youth, previous good health, and vaccination. The unfav-
orable circumstances are infancy and old age, the supervention
of other diseases, such as erysipelas, boils, abscesses, congestion
of internal organs, and pregnancy. This last is almost always
attended with abortion in small-pox.
Page 265
Presented as published in 1883. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Types. — Any one or all of these varieties of the disease may run through their course, ending in perfect recovery; or the symptoms may be characterized by extreme severity or prostration from the beginning. This is the " malignant " type of the disease; the others are the " mild " or ^* benignant."
MEDICINAL.
Course of the Eruption. — In the ordinary course of the disease, the pimples are red and inflamed by the end of the second day; after this, they gradually begin to show a conical apex, filled with a colorless fluid, and, by the fifth day, they present a small vesicle of this fluid with flattened instead of a conical top. The vesicles from this date alter in appearance, and become pustules, being filled with matter which is " mature " by the eighth day. In this state of the eruption the surrounding skin is red and swollen, and it is at this point that the eyelids swell considerably from the looseness of their texture. The patient is then commonly spoken of as being blind, but in truth he is only blinded for a time. Some pimples appear also in the mouth, and throat, in most cases causing hoarseness and cough.
Stage of Decline. — -After the maturation of the pustules on the eighth day, up to the eleventh day, the pustules begin to dry up and form scabs. This scabbing process, however, does not proceed equally over the body, and may last for several weeks on the extremities. It is accompanied by a return of febrile symptoms, often rather severe, and attended with excitement of the brain. This has been termed the "secondary fever." It generally begins to subside after the eleventh day, which has been regarded by some observers as a "critical day." Pitting is pretty sure to follow on unprotected or natural smallpox. Such is the ordinary course of natural small-pox, in its non-malignant form.
Modified Small-pox. — If the subject of small-pox has been vaccinated, the disease may be cut short at any one of its stages, and disarmed of its dangers. The eruption is rendered slighter, and less likely to leave pits. The fever is slighter, so much so as often to exceed very little that of chicken-pox. It may be affirmed that as a rule vaccinated cases of small-pox recover with very little of ill effects of any kind, beyond discolored traces of the pustules, which gradually fade away.
Malignant Small-pox. — This form of disease is marked from its outset by signs of nervous depression, and deterioration of the blood. The pulse indicates loss of strength, while the blood shows grave alterations in its composition, such as blood spots on the skin, resembling bruises and flea-bites. The pimples scarcely go into the vesicular or pustular stage, but becomes filled with extravasated blood, giving them a purple hue. When vesicles of this character are seen, even if it be among others of a healthier aspect, they betoken more than usual danger. Haemorrhage from internal organs most commonly follows, and the patient succumbs in the course of a few days.
The conditions most favorable to recovery from small-pox are youth, previous good health, and vaccination. The unfavorable circumstances are infancy and old age, the supervention of other diseases, such as erysipelas, boils, abscesses, congestion of internal organs, and pregnancy. This last is almost always attended with abortion in small-pox.