Small Pox - Variola

Categories: ADMINISTRATION OF REMEDIES.
Sources: An Epitome Of Homeopathic Healing Art

This disease begins with pain in the head and back, chilly sensations,

followed by a high fever, so similar in all respects to a severe attack

of Bilious or "winter" fever, that it is difficult or impossible to

distinguish it with certainty, as Small Pox. The fact of the prevalence

of the disease at the time, and the exposure of the patient, may lead

the Physician and friends to suspect Small Pox. There is one very

str king symptom of Small Pox, however, that exists from the beginning,

which, though it may be present in fever simply, is not uniformly so.

This is a severe and constant aching _pain in the small of the back_.

The headache is also constant.



The Small Pox is of two varieties or degrees, _distinct_ and

_confluent_. The _distinct_ is when the pustules are separated from each

other, each one a distinct elevation, with more or less space between

them not affected by the eruption.



The _confluent_ is where the pustules spread out from their sides and

run together, covering the whole surface as one sore.



It may be distinct on some parts, as on the body, and confluent on

others, as the arms, face, and parts most exposed to the air.



In the _Distinct_ variety the fever continues without abatement until

the eruption appears, when it entirely subsides, and that quite

suddenly. The eruption comes out about the third day of the attack,

sometimes not discoverable until the end of the third or beginning of

the fourth day. The eruption is at first very slight, beginning with

small red pimples on the forehead, upper part of the cheeks, neck and

upper part of the breast, extending by degrees to the arms, and other

parts of the body and limbs. About the end of the fourth or forepart of

the fifth day, the eruption is complete.



There is a symptom, not mentioned in the books, which will often

determine the disease before the occurrence of any eruption. It is the

appearance of hard shot-like pimples, to be _felt under the skin_ in the

palms of the hands, while there is, as yet, no trace of eruption to be

seen upon the surface.



On the eighth or ninth day, the eruptions become vessicular, have

flattened tops, and contain a limpid fluid. The parts continue to

swell, the eruptions to enlarge, and become filled with purulent matter,

having a dark color at the top, up to about the fourteenth or fifteenth

day, when they begin to flat down, to dry up, and some of the scabs

become loose. At this time, some fever arises, often quite severe, with

headache and other inflammatory symptoms. If the eruption is very

severe, fever will be of corresponding violence, and lighter or wanting

when the eruption is mild. This fever rarely lasts more than twenty-four

hours, from which time the patient rapidly recovers.



In the _Confluent_ variety, all the symptoms are more violent, the fever

continuing after the eruption begins. The pustules burst early, and run

into each other, covering nearly or quite the whole skin; the surface

swells and turns black or dark brown, the lungs are more or less

irritated, producing cough, and not unfrequently the stomach is

nauseated, and vomiting ensues.



If the patient survives the irritation up to the fifteenth or sixteenth

day, when the _secondary fever_ sets in, he is liable to be taken off

by an affection of the brain or lungs, during this fever. If he

recovers, his whole surface, especially that part exposed to air, is

deeply pitted.





TREATMENT.



As it is not often known for a certainty, in the early febrile stage,

that it is the small pox, the treatment will be first adopted that would

be proper for a like fever arising from other causes. But in all my

observations in this disease, and they extend to several hundred cases,

I have not found in a single instance, any of the ordinary fever

remedies, such as _Aconite_ and _Bell._, which would be applicable for

such symptoms in an ordinary case, to do any good in small pox. They are

directed, however, for these symptoms by the authorities, in the febrile

stage of the small pox; but I am quite sure they are not the proper

remedies.



From the great similarity, the almost absolute identity of small pox

_headache_ and _backache_, with the same symptoms developed by the

_Macrotys racem._ as well as the nausea and restlessness produced by the

drug, I was led several years ago to the conclusion that this, or the

_Macrotin_ was valuable in small pox. Not only so, but during the

prevalence of small pox in Cincinnati, to an extraordinary degree in the

winter of 1849-50, I treated about one hundred cases, including both

sexes, and all ages, from infants a few weeks old, to very old persons,

giving the _Macrotin_ to all, and had the good fortune to see _all_ my

patients recover. Since that time I have prescribed it for every case

successfully.



Having then, been entirely successful in so many cases, with this

medicine, I am not inclined at this time to give any other the

preference. I must admit, however, that though my patients all

recovered, I was not able to greatly abridge the duration of the

disease, nor to prevent the development of all the stages in their

proper order, as is _claimed_ by M. TESTE, for his use of _Mercurius

cor._ and _Causticum_. I was satisfied with so far modifying the

symptoms, as to enable my patients to live through, and come _out well

in the end_. I would then direct, if small pox is suspected, the patient

having been exposed to contract it, or from the peculiarity of the

symptoms, in the early stage, or when the disease is discovered after

the eruption, to give _Macrotin_ at the first trituration, in one grain

doses, once in two hours, while the fever, headache and backache

continue, after which, during the whole course of the disease, give it

three times a day. This will prevent the development of a dangerous

secondary fever, as well as irritation of the lungs, stomach or bowels.

In addition to this medicine I give the patients daily, from half an

ounce to two ounces of _pure_ (_unrancid_) _Olive oil_. This serves to

prevent the development of pustules in the throat, lungs and stomach; is

more or less nutritious, and keeps the bowels in a healthy condition.

Wash the surface once a day in weak soap suds, following it with a bath

of milk and water, and keep cloths moistened with warm milk and water,

constantly upon all parts that are exposed to the air, lubricating the

surface with _Olive oil_ after the bath of milk and water. This keeps

the surface quite comfortable.



The best diet is corn or oat meal mush and molasses, to be taken in

small quantities. Cold water is the proper drink, though it should not

be very cold.



The room should, at all times, be well ventillated, but in cold or cool

weather, sufficient fire must be kept up, to keep the room warm and dry.

A temperature of about 65 deg. is the best. Hardly any thing can be worse

for a small pox patient than to be in a cold or damp room, and to

breathe _cold_ air. Uniform temperature is important.



If the eruption is tardy about appearing, or after it is out, a

recession takes place, the Alcoholic Vapor bath will soon bring it out.

(See Rheumatism **p. 30).



Occasionally the feet and limbs below the knees, will swell

prodigiously, and become extremely painful, causing the principal

suffering. For this, wrap the feet and legs in cloths wet in a strong

solution of Epsom salts, quite warm, and cover with flannels so as to

keep them warm. This will afford immediate relief, and reduce the

swelling in a day or two. The finely pulverized Epsom salts, dry,

sprinkled on the pustules, will very often prevent pitting. It is the

safest and surest remedy of which I have any knowledge.