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24
rash. I found her suffering from modified small pox;
in bed with her was a six weeks old baby with confluent
small-pox; two other sons, Albert (22) and Sydney (19)
were also shewing symptoms of Variola with the eruption
just appearing; I got all four cases removed as soon as
possible. Upon making enquiry, I ascertained that
J. Hart, the husband of the first patient, a bricklayer,
aged 48, had died on February 23rd, and that his death
had been certified by Dr. A** to have been due to
Purpura, I communicated with this gentleman and
ascertained that the deceased had been suffering from piles
and had been attending as a surgery patient for about
a fortnight. On the last attendance, February 18th,
Hart complained of sickness and shivering. As the
man had a foul tongue and had been eating some
bloaters on the previous evening, the symptons were
attributed to fish poisoning; on February 19th he was
seen at home, he then had three purpura-like spots on his
chest. On the 21st he was again seen, the face and
chest were now covered with purpura spots, but I am
informed that there was no constitutional disturbance
and no rise of temperature. The same evening he bled
from penis, mouth and anus, and died suddenly the
following morning.
Hart was buried on Wednesday March 2nd, and the
funeral was attended by a large number of friends and
relatives (some of them from Braintree in Essex). I
understand that the coffin was opened in order that the
mother of the deceased might see the last of her son.
I have no doubt the case was one of hœmorrhagic smallpox,
as Mrs. Hart, senior, and several other members
of the family residing at Braintree, who attended the