These relative percentages were based upon a mean population computed from two censuses, one taken in 1869 and the other in 1880.
We see how the epidemic gradually penetrated into Austria, and how Triest at a very early date became a second focus of the dissemination. In the year 1870 the small-pox mortality was generally low in Austria. The small epidemic in Bukowina in the year 1871 had no causal connexion with the Franco-German War; it was an epidemic such as had often broken out in former years in the countries of eastern Austria, and such as still break out occasionally nowadays. On the other hand, a considerable increase in the number of deaths caused by small-pox is observed in the year 1871 in Lower Austria and Salzburg, and to a certain extent in East Austria, Moravia, Silesia, and Bohemia; in Lower Austria, Salzburg, and Silesia the epidemic reached its climax in the year 1872, whereas in Upper Austria, Bohemia, and Moravia this climax did not come until the year 1873. The same is true of Vorarlberg, while the crown-lands of Styria, Carinthia, Carniola, and Tyrol were most severely attacked by the disease in 1874. In Triest and Istria the climax of the epidemic was reached in 1872, in Görz and Gradiska in 1873. In Galicia, which had always had a high small-pox mortality, the epidemic did not begin until the year 1872; it reached its climax in the following year. In Bukowina the climax did not come until the year 1874.
‘To follow the progress of the disease according to political districts,’ says Daimer, ‘is instructive for the reason that, as was clearly shown at that time, it always spread slowly—a fact which was also repeatedly observed in the case of other epidemics; thus, there was always time enough to adopt appropriate measures aiming to check its progress.’ There is a very marked difference between the epidemic of small-pox in East Austria and the one in Germany; the latter attacked all Germany within a short time, since the war had developed there a very extensive intercourse. And even in Germany it was observed that the disease was a long time in reaching those regions that were less affected by this intercourse.
Vienna was attacked with great severity by small-pox; so also was Prague, though to a lesser extent. The following table indicates the number of deaths caused by the disease per 10,000 inhabitants:
| Vienna. | Prague. | |
|---|---|---|
| 1869 | 5·4 | 1·9 |
| 1870 | 4·8 | 2·6 |
| 1871 | 7·6 | 1·5 |
| 1872 | 52·7 | 39·7 |
| 1873 | 22·0 | 28·2 |
| 1874 | 14·3 | 3·0 |
| 1875 | 18·0 | 1·1 |
But in these cities the epidemic did not come to an end; epidemic outbreaks of small-pox continued to occur in Vienna until 1885, in Prague until 1893, and in a number of years (for example, 1877, 1880, 1883, 1884, and 1888) the disease underwent some very important exacerbations.
(e) Italy
Small-pox is supposed to have been conveyed into Italy by the volunteers who had fought under Garibaldi; they became infected with the disease in the Department of Côte d’Or, where it had raged extensively, and then brought it back with them when they returned home. In Milan 200–300 cases per annum were usually reported prior to the year 1870. In the summer of that year the number of cases greatly increased, terminating in the following year in a severe epidemic which reached its climax in September and October. According to Felice del Agua,[[299]] there were 1,287 cases and 152 deaths in the year 1870, and 4,467 cases and 866 deaths in the year 1871. In Rome small-pox made its appearance in October 1871, causing 335 deaths between October 10 and December 31, 1871, and 727 deaths in the entire year of 1872. In the case of a large number of individual places we have reports regarding epidemics of small-pox, but I was unable to find a comprehensive account of the epidemic that raged at that time in Italy.
(f) Great Britain and Ireland
Owing to the constant intercourse between England and France it was inevitable that small-pox should very soon be conveyed into England; the persons who conveyed it were probably French refugees. As on the continent, so also in England, small-pox was always prevalent; in the years 1869 and 1870, however, it was not very widespread, and it did not begin to gain much headway until the autumn of 1870. The number of deaths caused by small-pox in England was: