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).