The history of small-pox in Australia, 1788-1908 / compiled from various sources by J.H.L. Cumpston.

  • Cumpston, J. H. L. (John Howard Lidgett), 1880-1954.
Date:
1914
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The history of small-pox in Australia, 1788-1908 / compiled from various sources by J.H.L. Cumpston. 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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    Table C.—Showing the Number of Cases, Eecoveries, and Deaths at Various Ages. Ages. Under 10 years 10 to 20 years 20 to 30 „ 30 to 40 ,, 40 to 50 ,, Over 50 years No. of Cases. Male. 29 8 18 13 9 1 78 Female. 26 13 19 8 7 76 No. of Deaths. No. of Recoveries. Male. Female. Male. 21 Female. 8 8 18 1 2 7 11 5 4 13 15 5 1 8 7 5 1 4 6 16 1 3 24 54 60 1882-1885. In the official report of the epidemic of small-pox in Sydney, in 1881-2 (published in 1883), it is stated that the case which terminated the epidemic was reported on 19th February, 1882, at the Sanatorium. And yet it is reported in the Australasian Medical Gazette (1882, p. 149), that— A supposed case of variola was discovered at Waterloo, a suburb f Sydney, on 2iith July, not far distant from a dwelling in which the disease existed at the time of the late epidemic. Though the Health Officer did not commit himself absolutely to a diagnosis of small-pox, yet it is believed to be undoubtedly a case of that dreaded disease, and the patient was at once transferred to Little Bay Sanatorium. There were also the cases at Bega and Lismore referred to above, the important fact in relation to which is that they are not included in the official report, and that they therefore indicate a more widespread infection than was officially recognized. An official return of the meetings of the Board of Health, presented to the New South Wales Parliament in the Third Session. 1883-1, contains an entry—Feb. 23rd. Case small-pox, Rushcutters' Bay. This is pre- sumably 23rd February, 1883. But no other reference to this case can be found in any of the other records. With this exception there is no record of any cases occurring in New South Wales between July, 1882, and August, 1881. On 23rd August, 1881, five cases of small-pox were discovered at the Orient Hotel, Lower George-street— From that date until 16th September, fourteen cases were removed and isolated from time to time. An interval of six weeks then ensued, and it was not unreasonably supposed that the disease had been really stamped out.—(Annual Report on Vaccination, 1884.) But on 25th October, another case was reported which led to a further series of cases. It will be interesting to consider these two groups of cases in detail. The First Group. The first five cases all occurred in the one hotel (Orient Hotel), and when discovered to be small-pox, the disease had been in the house for more than a fortnight and had been treated by a medical man as chicken-pox (Atis- tralasian Medioal Gazette, September, 1884, p. 283). These five were : J. McC. ao-ed 2 ; G. W. M., 38 ; W. A. McC, 5 months ; E. S., 35 ; J. K, 20.