By careful treatment, pitting in smallpox may be generally prevented.
One successful method is to dissolve India rubber in chloroform and then
paint the skin, where exposed, with this solution, by means of a soft
camel’s-hair brush. When the chloroform has evaporated, which it very
soon does, a thin film of India rubber is left over the face. This
relieves itching and irritation, and permits the patient to be more
comfortable in addition to preventing the pitting. Another suggestion is
to keep the whole body, face and all, covered with calamine, or native
carbonate of zinc, which must be purified and pulverized for the
purpose. It may be shaken onto the body from a common pepper box. To
assist in relieving the inflammation sprinkle an ounce of powdered
camphor between the under sheet and the pad on which it rests,
scattering powder the whole length of the bed, and freely where the back
and shoulders are lying. This gives great relief to the sufferer.