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OF THE SMALI-POX.

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CAUSES. ------The small-pox is commonly caught by mfechoii.

nice the disease was first brought into Europe, the infection hasnever been wholly extinguished, nor have any propel method*, asfar as I know been taken for that purpose; so that it has becomein a manner constitutional. Children who have over-heated them-selves by running, wrestling, &c. or adults after a debauch, are mostipt to be seized with the small-pox.

SYMPTOMS.------This disease is so generally known, that a mi-nute description of it is unnecessy. Children commonly look a littledull, seem listless and drowsy for a few days, before the more violentsymptoms of the small-pox appear. They are likewise more inclinedto drink than usual, have little appetite for solid food, complain ofweariness, and upon taking exercise, are apt to sweat.—These aresucceeded by slight fits of cold and heat in turns, which, as the timeof the eruption approaches, become more violent, and are accom-panied with pains of the head and loins, vomiting, &c. The pulse isquick, with a great heat of the skin and restlessness. When the pa-tient drops asleep, he wakes in a kind of horror, with a sudden start,which is a very common symptom of the approaching eruption; asare also convulsion fits in very young children.

About the third or fourth day from the time of sickening, the small-pox generally begins to appear; sometimes indeed they appear soon-er, but that is no favourable symptom. At first they very nearly resem-ble flea-bites, and are soonest discovered on the face, arms and breast.

The most favourable symptoms are a slow eruption, and an abate-ment of the fever as soon as the pustules appear. In a mild distinctkind of small-pox, the pustules seldom appear before the fourth dayfrom the time of sickening, and they generally keep coming out gra-dually for several days after Pustules which are distinct, with aflorid red basis, and which fill with thick purulent matter, first of awhitish, and afterward of a yellowish colour, are the best.

A livid brown colour of the pustules is an unfavorable symptom;as also when they are small and flat, with black spots in the middle.Pustules which contain a thin watery ichor are very bad. A greatnumber of pox on the face is always attended with danger. It islikewise a very bad sign, when they run into one another.

It is a most unfavourable symptom, when petechia, or purple,brown, or black spots are interspersed among the pustules. These aresigns of a putrid dissolution of the blood, and show the danger to bevery great. Bloody stools or urine, with a swelled belly, are badsymptoms: as is also a continual strangury. Pale urine and a violentthrobbing of the arteries of the neck, are signs of an approaching de-lirium, or of convulsion fits. When the face does not swell, or fallsbefore the pox comes to maturity, it is very unfavourable. If the facebegins to fall about the eleventh or twelfth day, and at the same time,the hands and feet begin to swell, the patient generally does well;but when these do not succeed to each other, there is reason to ap-prehend danger. When the tongue is covered with a brown crust, itis an unfavourable symptom. Cold shivering fits coming on at theheight of the disease, are likewise unfavourable. Grinding of the teeth,

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