The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-11-16
History of Recent Cases in
Wheeling.
Remarkable Evidence OF the
Efficacy of Vaccination.
A Word Of Warning to Our People

which at present threatens this commu.
nifty from the general prevalence oi
smallpox in the neighboring cities.
That those of our people of every class
who are unprotected by vaccination are
in constant danger from an importation
OF the contagion is proved by its contin'
ued prevalence and fearful ravages in
New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh,
Cincinnati aud other cities with which
we are daily in intimate business COM
munication. Indeed, the disease is all
around US, not only in the cities above
named, but prevalent also IN several OF
the adjacent towns and villages-even
at our very doors, and we are thus in
great jeopardy every hour. Already we
have felt the terror of its loathsome
presence in our midst because Of
CULPABLE NEGLIGENCE OF SANITARY
POLICE AMONG SOME OF OUR NEIGH
BoRs.
According to the testimony of the
Board of Health Of Pittsburgh, pub
blished during the last few days, very
little if any care has been exercised by
the authorities Of that city to prevent
the spread of the disease, either at
home or abroad; for it has been offici-
ally and publicly acknowledged that
patients, from whose bodies the scabS
had not yet fallen of, have been per-
mitted to perambulate the streets, ride
in the street cars, visit places Of public
resort, employ livery hacks for funeral
turnouts-in few words, that no care
whatever has been taken to separate the
sick from the healthy and unprotected,
that there is no compulsory return or
registration OF cases by physicians; and
hence the great prevalence and appal-
ling mortality Of the disease in Pitts
burgh during the last two or three
months. TO remedy these lamentable
defects Of sanitary police, and to save
the city. il possible, from still wider
spread Of the contagiop, resolution
was passed at a recent meeting OF the
Board OF Health requesting the
health officer to recommend the needed
reforms, and that the present loose
health laws be completely overhauled
and amended in conformity thereto.
In view OF these facts Of negligence
on the part OF our Pittsburgh neigh.
bors, and the large number OF unvaccl-
mated persons in our midst, it is truly
marvellous that we have so well escaped.
Nothing but the most energetic enforce
ment of our sufficiently stringent ordl-
nances to prevent the spread OF conta-
gious diseases has saved us from gen.
eral visitation Of the disease.
THE CASES THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN
WHEELING
have been comparatively few, but so
located in the most densely populated
parts Of the city that, had they not been
closely watched Immediately on their
discovery, and means taken to effect
their complete isolation, Wheeling also
by this time would have been overrun
with smallpox, and every business inter
est immensely damaged thereby.
Case 1.-The first case which occur
red, one of varioloid, was reported at
the Health Office on the 23d day OF
June. The patient, German emigrant,
had Just arrived from New York, and,
with his wife and two children-one oi
them an unvaccinate1 babe six months
old-was domiciled in the family OF his
brother, at the corner Of the alley in
the rear of the German Lutheran
Church, in Centre Wheeling: and
altogether there were at the time eight
occupants in the tenement The pa.
tient had not been vaccinated since his
childhood. All unnecessary commu-
nication with the two families were at
once prohibited, the school kept in the
adjoining room dismissed, and the at
tending physician requested tovacciuate
the babe and also perform revaccina'
ton on each Of the other members Of
the two families, which was accordingly
done.
Case U.-From some cause the
operation was not successful in the babe
which on the 9th of July sickened,
vomited once or twice, and died sud
denly the next day in convulsions with
out having any well marked or charac-
teristic eruption. The death certificate
said smallpox" The house was
again thoroughly cleansed and disin-
fected, several articles Of bed and body
clothing burned; and since the date oi
the death OF the child there has been
10 sickness in either OF those families.
The next cases, FIVE in number, all
began to sicken about the same time,
between the 2Sth and 3lst OF July, with
out the least trace Of the source of the
contagion being discovered.
Case IL.-The first among these was
a little boy two and half years Of age,
belonging to house occupied by two
families, situated on the came alley on
which the first cases occurred. This
was case OF very mild varioloid in an
unvaccinated person, and therefore not
a little remarkable. There were in
this small house up and down stairs,
five adult persons, and FIVE children
below FIVE years of age, the youngest
four months old, all Of whom, except
ing the sick boy and the babe, who
were brother and sister and occupied
the same room, nursed BY the same
nurse and laid in the same crib, had
been recently vaccinated, the babe was
Immediately vaecinated, and the boys
case was the only one that occurred in
that house. ..-
Case IV.-One Of varioloid occurred
among family Of FIVE adult persons re-
siding near the corner Of Third and
Chapline streets. The patient had been
vaccinated 10 childhood. Each of the