Tag Archives: Campbellsburg

Smallpox Epidemic, Part XXXII

CASE IN THIS CITY
The Cold Weather Causes Smallpox to
Break Out Afresh.

A well-developed case of smallpox was discovered yesterday afternoon at the home of John Brigham, 806 Bates street. The patient is Mrs. Maggie Sperling, who came here on a visit from Monticello, Ill., about two weeks ago. A physician was called Sunday morning to see the little daughter of Mrs. Sperling, who was supposed to be suffering with convulsions. While examining the child he noticed that the mother was broken out with eruptive sores.

Yesterday morning the city Health Board was notified and immediately sent Dr. Ferguson to investigate the report. He reported that the woman had a well-developed case of smallpox, and while the little daughter was not broken out with the disease, Dr. Ferguson was under the impression that she was suffering from the first stages of it. The Health Board at once had the patients removed to the smallpox ward of the City Hospital, and the Brigham family was quarantined. There have been few exposures, and little danger of the disease spreading is apprehended.

Ever since the cold weather the State Board of Health has been receiving reports from the districts infected with smallpox, which indicate that the number of cases is increasing. Reports were received from various parts of the State yesterday stating that smallpox had broken out again. Dr. Mayfield reported that several families had smallpox at Saltillo, and the Town Board of Health had refused to do anything to prevent the spread of the disease. The State Board will demand that the Town Board act at once. A number of cases were reported from Campbellsburg and vicinity. Dr. Hurty also received a telegram from Scottsburg asking him to visit that city, and it is thought there are new cases there.

“Case In This City,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 20 February 1900, p. 6, col. 6; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 6 December 2014).

Smallpox Epidemic, Part XXI

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DEATH FROM SMALLPOX.

One More Fatality Reported from Clay City.

Another death resulting from smallpox was reported to the State Board of Health yesterday from Clay City. The patient was an infant, and contracted the disease from its mother.

Dr. Richards, health officer of Owen county, reported two new cases of smallpox from that county, one of which was of the confluent form and very serious. He said that 90 per cent, of the population had been vaccinated, and he expected the disease would soon subside.

Dr. Ferguson, who, at the solicitation of the State Board of Health, went to Campbellsburg to investigate the suspected cases of smallpox there, returned yesterday morning and said he found several cases of chickenpox and three well-developed cases of smallpox.

“Death From Smallpox,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 4 February 1900, p. 6, col. 4; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 6 December 2014).

Smallpox Epidemic, Part XVII

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RUMORS OF SMALLPOX
Reports To State Board Of
Health From Over State.

Disease Said to Be Spreading in
Greene County-Chicken Pox
In This City.

Dr. Hurty, secretary of the State Board of Health, received a letter yesterday from H. M. Aspy, the health officer of Geneva, Allen county, which stated that a letter had been received by one of the citizens of the town from Elmer Myers, who lives at 3610 East Twenty-eighth street, Indianapolis, saying that three of Meyer’s children were broken out with smallpox.

Mr. Hurty immediately turned the letter over to City Health Board, and Dr. Ferguson was sent to visit the place. After a careful examination Dr. Ferguson diagnosed, the disease as chickenpox, and when interrogated last night said there was no cause for alarm.

Dr. E. D. Laughlin, the vice president of the State Board of Health, wrote Dr. Hurty yesterday that he had made a second visit to Campbellsburg, and had found a number of cases of smallpox.

A report was also received that the disease was rapidly spreading at Linton, Green county. It is reported that 2,500 new cases of smallpox have developed in Greene county. When Dr. Hurty was apprised of the report last night he said the State board had received no information in regard to it, and added that it was probably untrue.

“Rumors of Smallpox,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 1 February 1900, p. 3, col. 3; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 6 December 2014).

Smallpox Epidemic, Part XIII

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REGARDED AS SERIOUS
Dr. Hurty Says The Smallpox Re-
Ports Are Alarming.

In Many Parts of the State People Re-
fuse to Submit to Vaccination –
Specific Cases.

Dr. Hurty, secretary of the State Board of Health, said yesterday that he would not be surprised if smallpox became epidemic throughout the entire State. He said the people seemed absolutely indifferent to the disease, and not only did they refuse to be vaccinated, but in many cases they threatened with violence the very officer who was trying to throw a safeguard around them. Reports of smallpox and chicken-pox, which in many cases turns out to be smallpox, are being sent in to the State Board from so many different parts of the State that two stenographers are constantly employed in answering the correspondence. So much mail arrives in the morning that it becomes impossible for Dr. Hurty to wade through it before the arrival of the mail in the evening.

Reports were received yesterday that smallpox had again invaded Porter county, this time at Chesterton. In speaking of the report yesterday, Dr. Hurty said wherever else smallpox might appear in Porter county, he was quite sure that it would never be heard of again in Valparaiso, because the people of that city had strictly observed the rules of quarantine established by the State Board. He said it was one of the few places where there was a general inclination to submit to vaccination. To bear out his statement that the people in the infected districts would not submit to vaccination, Dr. Hurty read a letter received yesterday from the health officer of Washington county, who reported that 90 per cent of the people in that county refused to be vaccinated, and when he insisted the people would threaten him in such a menacing manner that he was compelled to leave them. He said the situation in Washington county was very serious, and believed the people would only awaken to their danger when the death which has already occurred was followed by others. He said that certain physicians who have been antagonistic to the State Board ever since the disease was first diagnosed as smallpox, were advising against vaccination and declaring the disease was not smallpox.

AT CAMPBELLSBURG

Word was also received yesterday by the State Board of many cases of chicken-pox, which is supposed by Dr. Hurty to be smallpox, in Campbellsburg. The disease in this place is prevalent among the adults. Dr. E. D. Laughlin, a member of the State Board, who lives at Orleans, a short distance from Campbellsburg, will visit Campbellsburg to-day for the purpose of diagnosing the disease.

Another severe case of the disease is reported from Brownstown. The special officer of the State Board of Health employed in Clay City reported yesterday that a case of hemorrhagic smallpox had appeared in the family of a Mr. Shannon, who lived in Clay City. Dr. Hurty said the disease in this form was almost certain death.

President Swain, of the State University, and the members of the State Board of Health deeply regret a dispatch in the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, credited to an Indianapolis correspondent, which stated that the university would be closed on account of the prevalence of the disease among the pupils. Dr. Hurty said yesterday that he could not imagine how such a statement could have ever been made, as there never was any intention either on the part of the authorities of the university or of the State Board to close the university.

Many appeals are being made to the State Board for vaccine matter for the poor in the districts infected with smallpox, but as the law provides that the county shall be required to pay its own expenses for the enforcement of health laws, the State Board is unable to comply with the request.

Smallpox Near Princeton.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
PRINCETON, Ind., Jan. 27. – Four cases of smallpox, in the worst form have developed near Haubstadt, south of here. One case is within a hundred feet of a schoolhouse, where the children have been attending school up to this time. The county health officer is making a full investigation and will establish quarantine. The community is terrified, as the nature of the disease was not suspected.

“Regarded As Serious,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 28 January 1900, p. 8, col. 2; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 6 December 2014).