SMALL-POX, 387 
SMALL-POX. 
There are on record a few cases of an acute eruptive fever to which the 
name ‘Puppy Small-Pox” has been given. Unfortunately the reports of 
these are so barren of important facts, for the present any discussion of the 
affection must necessarily be very unsatisfactory, and much left to conjecture. 
Nor is it possible even to judge understandingly of the real merits of its claims 
to the name bestowed on it. But the hope is entertained that this allusion, 
bare as it is, will favor careful observation in the future, until the disease is 
defined and perfectly understood. 
In one instance it attacked a litter of puppies that had just passed their 
eighth week. Some members of it had recently left the kennels and been sent 
to distant places. All of these, as well as the puppies remaining, were taken 
down suddenly and died within forty-eight hours. 
Shortly afterward another litter in the same kennels was similarly affected, 
and all the pups died in the course of three days. Once more these kennels 
suffered. This time the victims were only two days old. All were at once 
taken by the mother from the whelping quarters, that had been specially pre- 
pared for her, and carried to a shallow place under an out-building ; where she 
dug a hole for them, and they remained under her sole care, it being impos- 
sible to reach them. Strangely in this case all made a good recovery. When 
five or six weeks old they were caught and found to be covered with bare spots ; 
but the eruption had healed. 
In the first instance the chances of contagion appear to have been few 
indeed. In fact all other inmates of the kennels were for a long time pre- 
vious in good health, no strangers had been among them, nor had similar 
attacks ever been known to the owners of dogs for miles around. As for the 
second and third experiences, of course they were likely due to the first. 
These and other like attacks reported elsewhere were very sudden and 
exceedingly violent. The eruption was at first papular, and limited to a few 
spots here and there, but it rapidly spread over the body and legs. The 
papules changed to vesicles in the course of two days, and then in a day or 
two became pustules. Where recovery occurred, however, there was no pit- 
ting. 
From the appearance of the eruption until it had been healed entirely the 
interval was about four weeks. 
Within the knowledge of the author only one writer of note has discussed 
this disease in public print; and although his contribution is highly interesting 
it is characterized by an uncertainty that seems to indicate that his experience 
also had been very limited. While the assumption naturally follows that some 
of his conclusions were speculative. 
He says ‘‘ This is a rare malady, and may be developed directly or by con- 
