Tag Archives: Indiana State Normal School

Smallpox Epidemic, Part LVI

No Danger from Smallpox.

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
A large number on inquires have come to me of late from prospective students at the State Normal School in regard to the smallpox situation in Terre Haute. These letters, received from many parts of the State, show that greatly exaggerated reports have got out in regard to the number of cases of the disease in this city. One writer wished to know when the city of Terre Haute will be released from quarantine. Another says it is reported in his county that we have six hundred cases here at present. Still another wishes to know if it is true that a person can stand on the front steps of the State Normal School and count sixteen red flags. A letter just received says that just as the writer is starting, with her trunk packed, to come to school, she hears that there are so many cases here it is wholly unsafe to set foot inside this city. These and other letters of similar tenor show that there is a very erroneous impression abroad in regard to this matter. The facts are as follows: Since Jan. 1 we have had about thirty cases of smallpox and varioloid in this city. It has prevailed in so mild a form that some of the physicians even have doubted whether it was really smallpox. No case has proved fatal, and only a few have been serious. The Board of Health has dealt with the matter in such a thorough manner as to prevent the spread of the disease, and it has now practically disappeared. My understanding is that there are now but two red flags left, and that the persons quarantined in these houses will soon be released. All pupils of the public schools that have been out, owing to their refusal to be vaccinated, are to be readmitted on the opening of school next Monday, and the students of the Normal School are no longer required to be vaccinated. In other words, the disease has practically run its course here and is at an end. The Board of Health assures me in a letter that there is absolutely no danger of any one’s contracting smallpox in this city at this time. The State Normal School opens its spring term to-morrow morning, and the indications are that we shall have as large an attendance as can be properly accommodated, over six hundred having already registered, but I wish no teacher to be deterred from coming by a false understanding of the situation.

W.W. PARSONS,
President State Normal School.
Terre Haute, Ind., April 4.

“No Danger from Smallpox,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 5 April 1900, p. 3, col. 3; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 3 Feburary 2015).

Smallpox Epidemic, Part LVIII

Leave a reply

NO CAUSE FOR FRIGHT

Terre Haute Smallpox Situation Is
Steadily Growing Better.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind., March 27. – Exaggerated reports in regard to smallpox here are likely to have the effect of diminishing the attendance at the spring term of the Indiana State Normal School, which will begin next week. Scores of letters have been received asking about the alleged epidemic in Terre Haute. One writer asked if the city of Terre Haute had been released from quarantine. President Parsons has received the following from Dr. Rice, president of the Board of Health, which makes plain the situation:

“Nothing short of a serious outbreak would necessitate a vaccination order, and that is most improbable. There is nothing in the situation now to disturb or occasion anxiety to any one. I have written in reply to letters from several pupils that they could come for the examinations and not be molested. There are a few houses yet quarantined, but we do not apprehend any danger from them. No pupil need remain away on account of smallpox.”

It was expected the attendance at the term would number fully 1,000, especially as the rule has been made admitting holders of one year’s license, but the smallpox scare is likely to keep the number down to 800.

“No Cause For Fright,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 28 March 1900, p. 2, col. 2; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 31 January 2015).

Smallpox Epidemic, Part XX

Leave a reply

REPORT FROM CLAY CITY
“Special Deputy” Discouraged
Over Smallpox Situation.

Dr. Wolfe Making Stump Speeches –
Dr. A. W. Brayton’s Visit to
Terre Haute

Secretary Hurty, of the State Board of Health, yesterday received a rather discouraging report from his special deputy, who he sent to Clay City to investigate the smallpox situation there. As a result of the report from the deputy, Secretary Hurty says he will go to Brazil, Clay county, to-day.

The report says that while the disease is probably under control at Clay City, Dr. Wolfe, who diagnosed the disease as chicken pox in the first place, is making stump-speeches on the street, declaring that the malady is still an infection of chicken pox. The report says that Dr. Wolfe is joined in giving these “lectures” by William E. Smith. There has been one death at Clay City. This was little Effie Smith, who died on the fifth day after falling ill. Dr. Hurty’s deputy says that in Lewis township, Clay county, there is a great deal of the disease and seeming nothing is being done to prevent its spread. In commenting on the situation the special deputy says: “I fear there will be many fatalities here yet.”

Dr. A. W. Brayton says he was not called to Terre Haute to diagnose smallpox as was sated in an evening paper. He had no seen a case of smallpox since he was at Clay City, on Jan. 19. His object was to arrange with the City Health Board of Terre Haute in regard to some matters of quarantine.

Dr. Brayton says there had been but three or four cases in Terre Haute and that the Health Board, Drs. Willian, Rice and Gerstmeyer, are perfectly familiar with smallpox and chicken pox, and have recognized every case on sight. The first case is recovering in the detention house. A Normal student, well broken out, has been quarantined in his mother’s house and is doing well. Dr. Willian has one suspicious case under quarantine. Allison Peck, who left the city while fully broken out Wednesday night, went at once to his home in Canton, Ill., two hundred miles from Terre Haute. His case was at once recognized and he was promptly quarantined by the Canton Health Board, and this board conferred with Dr. Willian by telephone.

Dr. Brayton says there is little to fear from smallpox in Terre Haute as the people are vaccinating, and the Health Board is active, kind and considerate, and has the esteem and confidence of the people. There is little danger from smallpox, the doctor says, in college towns, as the influence of all the higher schools, both professors and the student body, is in favor of vaccination. He does not expect a wide spread of the disease in the State as the physicians through reading, study of cases, and continued agitation, are quickly recognizing even the mild smallpox, and the people are aiding them more and more, and abiding by their decisions. Dr. Brayton says there has been very general approval of the decision of the Supreme Court, giving boards the right to vaccinate in times of epidemic.

The school authorities of Terre Haute are considering the subject. Probably nine-tenths of the students in the higher schools and colleges are now vaccinated. The boarding house room where Allison Peck lived for four days has been purified and the house will go on as before, as Peck did not mix with the boarders.

FIRST DEATH FROM SMALLPOX
Effie Smith, a Thirteen-Year-Old Clay
City Girl, the Victim.

CLAY CITY, Ind., Feb. 2. – Effie Smith, the thirteen-year-old daughter of Frank Smith, is death’s first victim of smallpox at this place. The premonitory symptoms began last Sunday. The eruption appeared and the fever subsided Tuesday, but the secondary fever made its appearance Thursday, and speedily developed unusual virulence. The victim died shortly after 5 o’clock yesterday afternoon. Severe hemorrhages were a feature of the later course of the disease. Dr. Fred and Dr. Vandivier, who attended the case, have reported other recent instances of hemorrhages in connection with smallpox, but no deaths have occurred.

“Report From Clay City,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 3 February 1900, p. 8, col. 6; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 6 December 2014).

Smallpox Epidemic, Part XVI

Leave a reply

CRY FROM FORT BRANCH
Clerk of That Place Wants
Mount Vernon Quarantined.

Says There Are Over Two Hundred
Cases of Smallpox in Po-
sey County.

Dr. Hurty, secretary of the State Board of Health, received a letter from the city clerk of Fort Branch yesterday, demanding the State Board of Health to at once quarantine the city of Mr. Vernon, Posey county, as there were over two hundred cases of smallpox in that place. When asked what action the board would take in the matter, Dr. Hurty said that at the present time the board would not interfere in any way, because the local health board at Mr. Vernon was doing everything within its power to check the disease, and the State Board of Health was only needed in the localities where the people refused to protect themselves. Sixteen new cases of the disease were reported from Greene county yesterday, and Dr. Cole, the local health officer, has written the State Board that he is having a lot of trouble with the local physicians, who insist on diagnosing the disease as chickenpox. Two new cases were also reported from Owen county, near Coal City. The health officer of Owen county writes that at least 60 per cent of the people in the county have been vaccinated.

The health officer at Waldron, Shelby county, reported yesterday that in the family of Barbara Thibo there were eight cases of typhoid fever, two of which have resulted fatally.

SMALLPOX AT LINTON.

Several Cases Developed, Infection
Coming from Clay City

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
LINTON, Ind., Jan. 30. – The prevalence of smallpox at Clay City has caused uneasiness among the people of this vicinity and fears have been entertained that the disease would finally appear here. The expected has taken place, for in the last five days no less than ten cases are reported. At South Linton and Island City cases are also reported. The doctors are having all they can do to vaccinate those who volunteer, but so far no actual enforcements of the law have been made. All the infected houses have been quarantined and every precaution is being taken by the health officers to confine the disease to the present victims. Persons direct from Clay City have been arriving here almost daily, and a strict quarantine against that point will be enforced from now on.

State Normal Student Has Smallpox.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind., Jan. 30. – Richard McCloskey, of South Fourteenth-and-one half street, a student of the Indiana State Normal School, has smallpox. The house is quarantined. It is said to be a mild case. McCloskey had not been in his class since last Thursday and the Normal authorities do not think there is danger of an epidemic in the school. A case of smallpox was reported from Honey Creek township but when investigated was found to be eczema.

“Cry From Fort Branch,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 31 January 1900, p. 6, col. 3; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 6 December 2014).