Variola; its causes, nature and prophylaxis, and the dangers of vaccination.

  • Spinzig, C. (Carl)
Date:
1878
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Variola; its causes, nature and prophylaxis, and the dangers of vaccination. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    to a rate of 23' on July ist, and then lowering to the minimum until November 25th, when again it ascended to the rate of -3 of the maximum, which occurred December 31st. The epidemic which raged in London in 1S71 presents quite analogous features to that of New York, the rate of mortality, however, ranges by far higher; here also a graphic line would exhibit a gradual elevation to the point forming the maximum (May 6th with 2SS deaths per week), then gradually decreasing to July ist, and from thence lowering to the minimum for the rest of the year. Another epidemic from which the inhabitants of London suffered severely, occurred in 1840, but the highest number of deaths is recorded for the last week of the month of December. The history of an epidemic, visiting the city of Berlin, 1S71, sets forth apparently contradicting evidence, as there a high rate of mor- tality from small-pox is recorded for the summer months ; from the minimum, which is rated for January 14th, a gradual increase followed, ascending to the maximum June 24th, then declining to a semi-maximum September 23d, when again an increase occurred, reaching its maximum December 9th then gradually receding to extinction.1 The epidemic of Paris, in the year 1S70 also exhibits the peculiarity of a gradual increase from the mini- mum of January to July, when, like in Berlin, a decrease fol- lowed and here to the month of October, then the disease alarm- ingly increased to the height of the maximum in December.- These apparent discrepancies nevertheless bear evidence to the general law:, in a climate characterized by the period from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox, small-pox ceases to be indigenous—for the slight diversion from this law, meteorological extremes must be held accountable, which are apt to have occur- red owing to the continental climate of both last named locali- ties.3 (1) Reports of the Board of Health of the city of New York for 1S70-71 ; of the latter set- Chart at p. 100. (2) Colin, 1. c. (3) The monthly mean ordinarily of barometrical pressure and of temperature at Paris is for the summer months as follows: Barometer, Thermometer, R. Scale. June, 757.2S July. 75°.5-: Aug. 756.74 Sept. 756.61 13.66 14.96 14.S2 12.52 At Berlin—June, 759.81 n 04 July, 759-58 ,£* Aug. 759.02 ,+.+3 Sept. 760.53 . ,,.7S These tables are copied from Mueller, Kos. Physik, pp. 456-5S and 57s.