Tag Archives: Indianapolis Journal

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 XXXI

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CRIMINAL INDIFFERENCE.
Attitude of the Clay City People to
the Smallpox Epidemic.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
CLAY CITY, Ind., Feb. 16. – New cases of smallpox are of almost daily occurrence in this vicinity, owing largely to indifference to the disease. This indifference is partly accounted for in the fact that only one death has occurred and in the additional fact that some professional men and many of the nonprofessional stoutly maintain that it is not smallpox and not dangerous. Several family, released after about two weeks’ quarantine, have been quarantined a second time owing to other members of the family having contracted the disease. Cases have existed in some families for days before being reported to the health officer, the father of one of these families going to and from his home and attending to business down town as usual.
One young man, sent home on the 15^th of January, all broken out with the disease, was at work in his shop, as usual, on the 27^th.
Last Saturday a man thickly broken out stood in the postoffice lobby, along with fifty or more persons.
The persons quarantined at G. J. Kaysor’s continue to drink from a dipper chained to a pump at the sidewalk for the accommodation of the public.
A young man named Drummond was running about the streets last week, thickly broken out, and had to be forced to go home and the house carded.
There are many other cases like those mentioned.
W. T. Damer, quarantined for twenty-one days, and sick throughout the period, was released on the 14^th inst. He was literally covered with the eruptions. For many days Mr. Damer could not stand. Many cases like his could be cited.
It is reported that between twenty-five and thirty houses in the township, outside of Clay City, are carded, and somewhat fewer in town, which shows a large decrease for the town. The township schools, including Middlebury, a mile away, reopened on the 12^th inst. There were three new cases in Middlebury the first of the week, but the disease is being rapidly checked there.

“Criminal Indifference,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 17 February 1900, p. 2, col. 3; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 6 December 2014).

Smallpox Epidemic, Part XXX

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Smallpox Dying Out.

Dr. Hurty, secretary of the State Board of Health, said yesterday that he was receiving very few reports of new cases of smallpox and thought that the good work done by the county health boards in the way of vaccination and other observances of the health laws had about mastered the disease. Dr. Cole, health officer of Greene county, reported one new case of smallpox at Jasonville, Greene county.

“Smallpox Dying Out,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 16 February 1900, p. 3, col. 4; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 6 December 2014).

Smallpox Epidemic, Part XXIX

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Disease About Stamped Out

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind., Feb. 14. – The Board of Health is hopeful, not to say confident, that the threatened epidemic of smallpox in Terre Haute has been prevented. For six days now only one case has been reported, and it of a very mild type which had been under surveillance for several days. In all there have been eight cases, none of which was of a serious nature. The Board has given orders, however, to require vaccination on the part of all school pupils after this week; not compulsory vaccination but making vaccination necessary for further attendance on school.

“Disease About Stamped Out,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 15 February 1900, p. 2, col. 4; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 6 December 2014).

Smallpox Epidemic, Part XXVIII

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CLAY CITY SCHOOLS
Will Probably Open Again Monday –
Calls for Virus.

The Clay City schools, which have been closed for weeks on account of the smallpox epidemic which has been raging in that city, will probably be opened next Monday. The State Board of Health has forwarded instructions to that effect, with the proviso that no child shall be admitted unless vaccinated, and further that none shall be admitted from infected families.

The Portland Board of Health has asked the State Board of Health for vaccine virus and will order the vaccination of school children.

Smallpox Patient Released.

The Board of Public Health Thursday ordered the removal of N. C. Burnham from the pesthouse to his home, No. 330 North Beville avenue. He was the smallpox patient confined at the City Hospital contagious disease pavilion and was declared to be cured of the disease. His wife, who was with him and helped to nurse him, was also allowed to go home with her husband.

“Clay City Schools,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 10 February 1900, p. 8, col. 3; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 6 December 2014).

Smallpox Epidemic, Part XXVI

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BETTER CONDITIONS
Prevail at Clay City Now in Regard
to Smallpox

The State Board of Health received a letter from Dr. Modesitt, health officer of Clay City, in which he states that the local Board of Health is gradually conquering the epidemic, and he thinks it will only be a short time until the disease will be thoroughly eradicated from the town. As evidence of the good work that has been done by a close observance of the quarantine laws, Dr. Modesitt states that, on Jan. 25, there were sixty-five houses which were quarantined in Clay City, and one hundred patients, whereas, on Feb. 8, there were but forty houses quarantined, with seventy-one cases.

Four Cases at Albany

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
PORTLAND, Ind., Feb. 8. – At a conference of the City Council, School Board and county and city health officers, held in the Council room to-day, measures were taken to have a rigid quarantine in effect against the town of Albany, where four cases of smallpox are said to exist. The School Board was also directed to have all pupils vaccinated. Two persons – Mrs. Guy Gilbert and Miss Clara Smith – have come in from Albany, both being placed in quarantine until all danger of contagion is past. Officers have been posted to watch the trains and roads.

“Better Conditions,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 8 February 1900, p. 8, col. 4; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 6 December 2014).

Smallpox Epidemic, Part XXV

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ONE CASE AT ALBANY

Is Reported to the State Board –
Cases in Jackson County.

One new case of smallpox was reported to the State Board of Health yesterday from Albany, Delaware county. Many men who are employed at Albany live in the town of Redkey, four miles away, and the Board of Health of that place has forbidden them to go to Albany.

Dr. Cummings, health officer of Jackson county, reports twenty-five cases of smallpox in that county, and says that every case, except one, came from Washington county. He says that in consequence of this every road leading from Washington county has been blocked with quarantine officers.

“One Case At Albany,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 8 February 1900, p. 8, col. 1; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 6 December 2014).

Smallpox Epidemic, Part XXIV

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SMALLPOX ECHOES

Come to the Health Board from Va-
rious Parts of the State.

Dr. W. H. Cole, secretary of the Green county board of health, in a communication to the State Board of Health, said that the Green County Council had appropriated sufficient money to enable the board of health to take all precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the disease. He says that there are no new cases reported since Feb. 2.

Dr. Newlin, the health officer of Madison county, reports that there are eight cases of smallpox which have been quarantined in the county. One new case in Madison county as developed yesterday.

Dr. Gautz, health officer of Saline City, Clay county, says in his report to the State board that there is only one new case in the town, but the disease is raging in epidemic form in the country immediately surrounding the town. He says he has no hope of exterminating the epidemic, except through vaccination, and unless the people comply with the wishes of the board of health in this respect the disease will probably linger until next June.

Three new cases of smallpox are reported from Albany, Delaware county, and the people in Jay county, which immediately adjoins Delaware, are taking prompt action in enforcing the quarantine law.

Two Smallpox Cases at Albany

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
MUNCIE, Ind., Feb. 6. – Two cases of smallpox have been reported from Albany, in the families of Elijah Morton and Daniel Doughty, where a child in each family has the disease. The cases are thoroughly isolated, and there is no cause for alarm.

“Smallpox Echoes,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 7 February 1900, p. 8, col. 5-6; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 6 December 2014).

Smallpox Epidemic, Part XXIII

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BOARD IS HELPLESS

Nothing to Prevent Spread of Disease
in Washington County.

Dr. Mayfield, of Washington county, yesterday reported to the State Board of Health that the County Council of that county had refused to vote an appropriation to pay the expenses of suppressing the smallpox epidemic in the county. As a consequence the hands of the Washington county board of health are completely tied and nothing is being done to prevent the spread of the disease. Gibson township, includes the town of Lesterfield, is thoroughly infected with the disease, and owing to the action of the County Council the guards have been withdrawn, engendering a great danger to the State. It is possible that the County Council will be mandated and compelled to enforce the health laws, in which case the county would be put to an additional expense.

The State Board of Health has served orders on the board of health at Clay City which contain specific directions for the procedure of the board in eradicating the disease. One new case of smallpox was reported to the State Board of Health yesterday from Laporte county and one case from Allen County.

“Board is Helpless,” The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, Indiana), 6 February 1900, p. 8, col. 4; digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : accessed 6 December 2014).

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).