508 THE TREATMENT OF DISEASES. 



Small-pox may occur at any age. Its period of incubation is twelve days so 

 that after contact with a small-pox patient one is not positively safe for that 

 time. 



It usually commences suddenly with chills, or rigors, followed by all the symp- 

 toms of severe fever. The temperature may rise to 104 or more before the 

 eruption appears. An early symptom is pain in the back, so that sometimes the 

 patient thinks he has lumbago. Not unfrequently the pains are general, and 

 always there is a considerable degree of prostration. The eruption appears as a 

 rule on the third or fourth day, and is almost invariably first noticed about the 

 forehead. It usually lasts about eight days. The temperature falls on the ap- 

 pearance of the rash, but rises again as the spots mature. Occasionally a red 

 rash precedes the true small-pox eruption, giving rise to the idea of scarlatina. 

 We know of no cure for small-pox, and the disease must be allowed to run its 

 course. Vaccination, so valuable as a preventive, is of no avail when once the 

 symptoms have actually appeared. What vaccination will do is this : If an 

 un vaccinated person be exposed to small-pox on Monday, he will be safe if 

 vaccinated on or before the following Wednesday; if it be postponed till the 

 Thursday, the small-pox rash will appear, but will be modified ; if delayed till Friday, 

 it will be useless. Re- vaccination will have effect two days later than will vacci- 

 nation that is performed for the first time. As soon as small-pox breaks out, the 

 doctor must be sent for. The patient must be isolated, and only those allowed 

 to see him who have been well vaccinated. He must be kept in bed, which should 

 be placed in an airy room, well ventilated, and of a uniform and medium tempera- 

 ture about 60 Fahr. His diet should at first consist of milk, beef -tea, mutton 

 broth, gruel, rice water, white of egg and water flavoured with lemon-juice, tea and 

 toast, bread and milk, &c. Later on, Brand's Essence of Beef will be found useful. 

 When thirsty he may have iced milk, toast and water, lemon and water, lemonade, 

 soda-water, or imperial drink. Great care should be taken to keep him clean, and 

 the hands and face should be frequently sponged with tepid water, especial attention 

 being paid to the eyes. If the throat is sore, a little black-currant jelly will give 

 relief. Should the bowels be confined, a simple aperient will be necessary. 



To prevent pitting, wait till the spots have discharged and the discharge has 

 begun to dry, then put on some of the best olive oil, or a mixture of one-third 

 glycerine and two-thirds rose-water j this may be applied once or twice a day 

 until the scabs begin to loosen. Cold cream and a mixture of olive oil and lime- 

 water are also good applications. Sometimes the pits are hardly seen at first, 

 but become more apparent afterwards. The articles on Chicken Pox (p. 4) and 

 Vaccination (p. 63) may be consulted. 



SOMNAMBULISM AND SLEEP-WALKING. 



The phenomena exhibited by a person in the condition of somnambulism are so 

 wonderful that they have from the earliest times excited the superstitious feelings of 

 the ignorant, and claimed the most serious attention of the learned. To see an 

 individual apparently asleep, and yet capable of performing the most intricate action 

 without the aid of the senses, is so diametrically opposed to our ordinary experience 



