Tag Archives: Indiana

Eleventh Month (Gladys)

Letter transcription:

MRS. R. S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
8-23-43

Dear Daddy – Today is David’s 11^th month. He has 6 teeth, gets around as good as ever. Traces of cast almost gone. He got a few blisters around edge but they have healed. I was feeding him and he hit the cup & spilled milk. He knew he was a naughty boy – when we scold him he will try to cry but can’t quite make it. – John has been having headaches and I am sending him to Van Buskirk tomorrow. Alma W. is taking Jimmy down and has an appointment – said she would take John in with her. I haven’t been satisfied with his last two eye examinations and he keeps having head aches and is dizzy – Mother isn’t so good today – threw up her dinner and the last to come up was bile – (or bitter). I called Juanita and she is coming tomorrow. I haven’t heard any more from Glen – have been waiting for word. Jim is going to try and come home again on a 72 hr leave. Said he would get a plane to Indpls. and come in his car from there – will have the auto club get his car to Indpls. It is getting hot again. We have had some rather cool days. It rained early this a.m. and now it is hot and steaming. No letters today but had Aug. 10 & 11^th Sat. so didn’t look for any today. David is in his pen making a fuss. He is a little spoiled from so much attention when he was in the cast.

Love Mother

Gladys and David, August 1943

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/12/28/eleventh-month-gladys/

Smallpox Epidemic, Part XXII

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SPREAD OF THE PEST.

Rigorous Measure Taken Against
Smallpox in Clay County.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
BRAZIL, Ind., Feb. 5. – Dr. Hurty, secretary of the State Board of Health, was here to-day and served the notice issued by the State Board of Health on the County Commissioners to at once take action to stop the spread of smallpox in Clay county. In compliance the commissioners appointed the deputies to meet and act with the local health boards. Several new cases have developed and County Commissioner David Keller is confined to his bed with the malady. Auditor Stigler issued a call for the County Council to meet and appropriate funds to cover the expenses attendant on this action.

“Spread of the Pest,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 6 February 1900, p. 5, col. 4; 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).

Thirteenth Birthday (Gladys)

1 Reply

: August 22, 1943 envelope

: August 22, 1943, p. 1

: August 22, 1943, p. 2

: August 22, 1943, p. 3

: August 22, 1943, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
Aug. 22 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

Another birthday for our John – 13 – He looks the part – voice changing – growing fast – face full of pimples and blackheads. At present he is listening to Radio Readers’ Digest. He likes to get it every Sunday evening. I baked & decorated a cake, made ice cream & had the Zell girls & Jimmy come to help eat them – they ate almost all the cake and so far no tummy aches. I gave John a dollar, your Mother gave him 25¢ – he rec’d the $2⁰⁰ you sent, the Zells gave him sox & a hankie, so he fared pretty well. Bobby is gone and so are the Krull children so they didn’t get in on the refreshments. I was feeding David his 3 P.M. meal, Mark was working on a block of balsa wood and his knife slipped and cut his hand around the base of his thumb. It bled so much I couldn’t tell at first the cut was so extensive but after trying to wash

[page 2] the blood away I saw it wasn’t just a stab – so thought I had better get him to a Dr. and see if it would be necessary to have stitches taken – I called Matthews, he was out of town for the day, called Hungess at Sheldon, he was out of town, called Brook & Pip was gone on a trip, called Goodland, Rumkorf had left for his vacation, but finally and at last contacted Altier – I took Mark down. He cleaned the wound and found it wasn’t so deep but required one clamp. He gave me sulfathiazole power to dress it with and I am to go back Fri. to have the clamp taken out. I had filed it with sulfanilamide powder as soon as I discovered how long & deep the cut – however would have put sulfa on it anyway. I would have pulled it together myself with tape had it been on the arm but since it was at the base of the thumb thought a Dr. should see it. I washed Mark’s hands & face and put him to bed about 8 P.M. He insisted he wasn’t sleepy but I imagine he is asleep now. He got sick after his hand bled so much, but was very brave and didn’t cry – you know it hurt to have it cleaned and a clamp put in. He kept insisting he is like Daddy and can take punishment without making a fuss.

[page 2] David is getting a “little” spoiled – he has had so much attention he doesn’t want to stay put in his bed or pen. He is always reaching for something he shouldn’t have and climbing out of things. The play chair he is in in one of the pictures I sent – with the table around it is just an invitation for him to climb out on. John said if he were an ordinary baby he would be satisfied to sit & play in the chair. I just got the taylor tot out for him to ride in and today he was turned around in it trying to climb out on the handle. He got fussy so I put him on the floor and he walked around his bed & pen enclosures. He has another tooth today – making 6 altogether and 4 since he was 10 mo. old – He will be 11 mo. tomorrow. He hasn’t gained any the past month but I didn’t expect him to.

Mother wouldn’t eat any supper today – She ate a little broth at noon & drank a little milk. I bathed her yesterday – she doesn’t feel like being bathed every day – and I was feeling her abdomen – There is a definite mass in the middle of her bowels. I am no Dr. but I could feel it. I didn’t tell her, of course, what Dr. Cole told me, but I think she is very despondent about her recovery. I do wish I could

[page 3] do more for her – but I feel so helpless about the whole thing – Dr. Cole says she is definitely too weak for surgery. I asked him if her condition would become painful, but he said it shouldn’t. She has a lot of gas at times and so far her bowels have moved freely. He said she might get a bowel obstruction. The past week the weather has been cool and she hasn’t suffered from the heat.

Mary Parttens called today and said they were going to kill a beef in about 3 wks. And we can have a quarter or more. Clara M. is giving us lima beans to put some in our locker – we are to have half of what she puts in. She is moving to the south side of town – has bought her a house – Henry Molter & family are going to move over here where she lived.

Mary P. said Ruthie hasn’t stood on her feet yet but 2 wks. Ago Dr. M. took another x-ray and her break seems to be in fairly good shape – I saw the first x-ray and both sides of the pelvic bone were broken. I wish I could draw a picture & show you how it looked. Mary said every Dr. & nurse who looked at it said it was the only one like it they had ever seen.

Enough about such things – John is waiting for me to finish so we can go to bed and I am ready to turn in – Have to run the car in first.

Love Mother

P.S. I pd. Your Masonic dues

©2014 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2014/12/26/thirteenth-birthday-gladys/

Smallpox Epidemic, Part XX

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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 XIX

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ALL CASES NOT REPORTED

State Health Board Report
Give Interesting Statistics.

Claims More Cases of Smallpox Exist
Than Have Been Reported-High
Death Rate in Central Part.

The State Board of Health has prepared the following report of deaths, contagious diseases, births and marriages for the quarter ending Dec. 31, 1899:

“For the purposes of this report and in order to make comparisons between geographical sections the State is divided into three sections – namely, northern, central and southern. The northern division is bounded on the south by Warren, Tippecanoe, Clinton, Tipton, Madison, Delaware and Randolph counties. These counties comprise the northern tier of the central section. The central section is bounded on the south by Sullivan, Greene, Lawrence, Jackson, Jennings, Ripley and Dearborn counties, and these comprise the northern tier of the southern section. The population of these sections is as follows: Northern, 892,448; central, 1,022,694; southern, 729,838. The total number of deaths for the several sections for the quarter was: Northern, 2,422; central, 3,367; southern, 2,336. The total number of births reported was: Northern, 2,533; central, 4,166; southern, 2,754. Total number of contagious and infectious diseases reported was: Northern, 1,129; central, 1,892; southern, 1,144. The annual rates, calculated on the above quarterly figures, are as follows: Deaths – Northern, 12.8; central, 15.6; southern, 14, per 1,000 of population. Births – The annual rates per 1,000 were as follows: Northern, 13.3; central 16.2; southern, 15. Contagious diseases – The annual rates per 1,000 were as follows: Northern, 50.4; central, 74; southern, 62.

“Of the total number of contagious diseases during the quarter in the whole State there were: Of diphtheria, 1,202, with 347 deaths; scarlet fever, 1,503, with 46 deaths; measles, 181, with 2 deaths; smallpox, 132, no deaths; cerebro-spinal meningitis, 133, with 120 deaths; whooping cough 55, with 28 deaths; typhoid fever, 1,076, with 646 deaths. Total births reported in the whole State, 9,453. Of this number 4,984 were males and 4,469 were females. Of this total 181 were colored, of which 93 were males and 88 females. Still births were 219, plural births 99, illegitimate 154. The total marriages were 7,061. From these figures it appears that the central section of the State for this quarter had the highest death, birth and contagious-disease rate, and in this regard the southern section stands second and the northern third. The number of cases of smallpox reported is far below the truth, because so many cases were mistaken for chicken-pox. There was one death from smallpox in Posey county, but it was not reported, and was discovered by accident, after all reports were tabulated.”

January’s Death Rate.

The records of the City Board of Health show eight more deaths during January than during December, the total for the month being 224. The death rate was heavier during the first of the month than during the latter portion. The largest increase came from pneumonia, twenty-three being recorded during January as against eighteen for December.

BROKE THE QUARANTINE.
Smallpox Suspect Left Terre Haute for Canton, Ill.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind., Feb. 1. –The City Board of Health learned to-day that a smallpox suspect named Peck, whose conditional quarantine was continued for a few hours at the request of his physician, has slipped away from town. This afternoon the Board of Health was asked over the long distance telephone by Canton, Ill., authorities as to the nature of Peck’s disease, saying that he had arrived at his home in that town. There are two other suspects who had been in contact with Peck, and Richard McCloskey, the normal student who has a mild case, was a boarder at the same boarding house.

The city school board will meet to-morrow, and now that the Supreme Court has upheld compulsory vaccination of the pupils of the public schools, an order for vaccination will be issued.

Fifteen Instead of 2,500 Cases.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
LINTON, Ind., Feb. 1. – Citizens of Linton and vicinity are greatly wrought up over the report in the Indianapolis Press that 2,500 cases of smallpox existed in Greene county. The report is without foundation, and so far no cases have been reported except in Stockton township, where Linton is situated, and in the vicinity of Jasonville. In Linton there are only three cases, instead of ten, as reported, and these are quarantined with the strictest care. In Wright township, where there is the greatest number of cases, sentries are stationed on each road leading to town to prevent people from the infected parts coming to Linton. A strict quarantine is being enforced by the health officers, and so far no new cases have developed. The postmaster of Linton has never written anything in regard to the disease spreading, and great injustice has been done him and the town by those false reports. The local health officers are doing all they can to prevent the disease from spreading, and so far have it under perfect control. It appears that the number of cases reported includes cases from neighboring counties, but, as to 2,500 cases in Greene county, no such number exists. Not over fifteen are reported in the county.

“All Cases Not Reported,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 2 February 1900, p. 8, col. 5; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 6 December 2014).

An Old Slow Poke (Gladys)

2 Replies

Letter transcription:

MRS. R.S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
AUG. 21-1943

Dear Daddy – Your Mother went home this morning. I suppose she thinks I am an old slow poke but I couldn’t keep up to her tempo. One day while she was here besides the regular work which I think enough to keep one busy, we picked and canned 4 qts. of beans and made jelly with some old grape juice we had in the basement. She said if she had been home she could have got a lot more done. I think she feels pretty good. She didn’t seem to have any complaints and I know she can do more work in a day than I can. We got David’s cast off yesterday and he is using his leg almost normally today. At first his knee didn’t work as good but it is gradually getting stronger. While in the cast I gave him all his milk from a bottle but started today on the cup again. Want to have him drinking all his milk from a cup by 1 year. Mother doesn’t seem to feel so good today. I gave her a bath and she is so thin and frail – not much to her. Dr. Cole told me to give her Vit. B shots until he examined her Sun., then after deciding she has a malignancy thought the shots wouldn’t do much good. Jim called me Thurs. nite after getting the letter I sent him Sun. He wanted to know if there is anything to be done. Dr. Cole says she is too weak to stand surgery. Rec’d your letters of Aug. 10 & 11 – The 9^th hasn’t arrived yet. Will send some more pictures in a few days. Tomorrow is John’s birthday and will try to get some pictures taken then.

Love – Mother

Smallpox Epidemic, Part XVIII

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HIGHER COURT DECISIONS.

Important Ruling on Question of Vaccination

The Supreme Court, in a decision affirming the judgment in the case of Frank D. Blue against Fannie D. Beach and Orville E. Conner, given yesterday, held that the children of parents who refuse to have them vaccinated may be excluded from the public schools during an epidemic of smallpox. In the fall of 1893, during the smallpox scare at Terre Haute, the local Board of Health and the school authorities ordered that no person should attend the public schools unless vaccinated. Blue, who had refused to have his boy vaccinated brought suit to restrain the teacher and principal from excluding his boy from school. The case dragged along in the Circuit Court for nearly three years and a decision was finally rendered in favor of the defendants. Bloom appealed to the Supreme Court in 1896 and the decision was not handed down until yesterday.

“Higher Court Decisions,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 2 February 1900, p. 6, col. 4; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 6 December 2014).

THE COURT RECORD

SUPREME COURT

18004. Blue vs. Beach. Vigo C.C. Affirmed. Jordan, J. – 1. The preservation of the public health is one of the duties devolving upon the State. 2. The State boards of health are created as an instrumentality to secure and promote the public health, and are invested with power to adopt ordinances, by-laws, rules and regulations necessary to carry out the object of their creation and organization, and the powers conferred upon them receive from the courts a liberal construction. 3. Boards of health adopt rules or by-laws by virtue of legislative authority, and such rules or by-laws within their respective jurisdictions have the force and effect of a law of the Legislature. 4. Whatever laws or regulations are necessary to protect the public health and secure public comfort is a legislative question, and appropriate measures intended and calculated to accomplish these ends are not subject to judicial review. 5. The powers granted to boards of health by statute to adopt rules, by-laws and regulations reasonably adapted to carry out the purpose or object for which they are created is not an improper delegation of legislative authority within the meaning of the Constitution. 6. In order to prevent the spread of smallpox in case of an emergency on account of danger of the disease spreading, the board of health of a city may prevent any unvaccinated child from attending the public school, or close the school temporarily during the emergency.

“The Court Record,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 2 Feburary 1900, p. 6, col. 5; 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).

Flower (Gladys)

1 Reply

: August 20, 1943 envelope

: August 20, 1943, p. 1

: August 20, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
Aug. 20 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

I have been writing v-mail every other day and this should be a v-mail day but decided I would use reg. air mail again. Your mother, David & I went to Laf. today. Dr. Cole cut the cast off David’s leg. He was dreading the job but the case was pretty well soaked so wasn’t hard to cut off. He said he found that something else besides vinegar & peroxide would dissolve plaster. I had told him we called David “Flower” (the little skunk character in Walt Disney’s movie Bambi). He said is may smell like a flower but he didn’t know what kind. I was afraid David’s leg would be very touchy, and his knee would hurt when he tried to bend it but by the time we got home he was getting around pretty good. I put him down in his bed on his back and he pulled right up. In a day or two I doubt if we can tell he ever had it in a cast. I believe he was very happy to get out, he was so happy all evening – tho he is usually that way. Your mother says we should have named him David Roscoe. She says he looks so much like you. Now my dear, as much as I think of you, I still wouldn’t want to do that. We might compromise and call him Jake, or little Jake. Don’t mind me – just running off.

[page 2] I asked Dr. C. if he had written you about Mother – he said he hadn’t had time to even address a letter since he has been back – (Took Sun., Mon. & Tues. off). I said I didn’t suppose he would have since he came back. I asked him if he got to rest any while away & he said he slept the clock around. I don’t know when you will hear from him. After he told me Sunday I wrote Jim & Glenn and Jim called me last night. He wanted to know if anything could be done. Dr. Cole said Mother couldn’t stand surgery. I haven’t had any more word from Glen – Had an air mail from them Mon. & answered with a night letter & told them to come on – they wanted to know if Mother would be able to have them come for a visit, or wait until later. Since they haven’t answered I wouldn’t be surprised to see them come in any time.

Mark has gone to bed. He is still tired from his 4-H camping trip but I sent him to bed so he will feel rested by tomorrow. John is playing with a toy I got to give Bobby Funk for his birthday (Sept. 6). Also got a gift for Donnie – his birthday comes Aug. 29. I got a wedding gift for Earl & Imogene – they will be here tomorrow to get your mother – Ruth M. had me to get her gift at Loebs – so I got mine (ours) there too – a set of glasses & sherberts to match. Your mother said the shower will be next week & she is saving her gift till then but I will give them ours tomorrow. I had the store clerk wrap them ready to give in white tissue & ribbon – Well I am tired & John is going to take this to the hotel to mail so must sign off – with Love – Mother