*Meningitis.*--The intense headache, vertigo, delirium, and coma of
meningitis, especially meningitis of the convexity without localizing
symptoms, may be mistaken for severe prodromal symptoms of smallpox. As
a rule, pulse and respiration are slow in meningitis, while in smallpox
respiration and pulse are both markedly rapid.
*Cerebro-spinal Meningitis.*--In cerebro-spinal meningitis, in which an
erythematous or purpuric rash appears, the difficulties of diagnosis
are often such as tax the skill of the most expert clinician. It is
important to remember that the rash of cerebro-spinal meningitis
usually develops gradually or in successive crops, and that its
distribution over the cutaneous surface is irregular, while the
eruption of smallpox makes its complete appearance within the space of
a few hours and is localized chiefly on the face and extremities. The
stiffness at the back of the neck and the retraction of the head are
symptoms that do not belong to smallpox.
*Septicæmia and Pyæmia.*--Acute septicæmic and pyæmic conditions in
which there are hemorrhagic and bullous lesions in the skin sometimes
present grave difficulties in making a differential diagnosis from
smallpox. In general, however, a careful elucidation of the history of
the case will bring out some points that serve for differentiation.
It must be admitted, however, that the diagnosis between cryptogenetic
septicæmia and hemorrhagic smallpox is sometimes impossible _intra
vitam_. A case of this kind may be cited which occurred in New York
during the epidemic last year. A woman of thirty, not vaccinated
since childhood, living in a house adjoining one from which a case
of smallpox had been removed, was reported to the authorities as a
possible case of smallpox. It was the sixth day of her illness, which
had begun abruptly with headache, backache, vomiting, and fever. On
the third day of the illness there was a profuse hemorrhage from the
uterus, and thereafter metrorrhagia was almost constant. On the fourth
day a scarlatiniform eruption was noticed on the legs and abdomen.
The rash rapidly extended and was soon interspersed with hemorrhagic
points. When seen on the evening of the sixth day the patient was
semi-comatose. The skin was literally covered with a dusky scarlet rash
in which were noted countless hemorrhagic macules, from a pin-point
to a bean in size. The conjunctivæ bulbi were chemotic, the tongue
was swollen, and the fauces were deeply congested. The post-mortem
examination made the following morning, six hours after death, revealed
a septic endometritis, and streptococci were cultivated from the blood
and the peritoneal serum.
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