The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-10-27
The Health Officer on SMALL Pom

1t has not been generally known that
smallpox was prevailing to a serious
extent In this city. Such, however. is
the fact. The policy of the Health Board
has been to keep the matter as quiet as
possible, so as to cause no unnecessary
alarm. The efforts put forth by The san
itary police TO allay its progress by u.s.
Ling disinfectants have SO far proved
futile, and tie scourge has at last be-
come a matter of serious consideration.
The Health Officer, backed by the Board,
has been battling with the disease but it
is constantly on the increase.
1t is claimed that the Board has no au-
thority by law beyond the use of disin-
| lectants, and recently an attempt was
| made to get an ordinance through Coup-
| Gil investing the Board with further DOW
ers. With the power to placard houses
where the disease is known to exist. it
would to certain extent prevent its
spread. This the Board now seeks.
j. j. Quinn, Health Officer, at a meet.
ing of Ine Board yesterday afternoon,
presented, among other facts and figures,
! the following:
The disease visited Cincinnati in 1858
and during that and the following year
| carried Oh S11 victims. 1t again pre-
vailed in epidemic form in 1871 and 1872,
claiming in the former SS7 and in the
latter of these years COS victims. During
the hrst eight months of 1873 forty-eight
persons died OF the disease. From that
time August, 1879 until January of the
present year no deaths from smallpox
occurred IN the city, except single one
| in May, 1874.
The disease was introduced into the
city about the beginning OF the year by
fray NM n nfnI ftnn frix ~
different medical societies and to ply.
| sicians individually, with the request
| tnat vaccination should be recon-
mended. Instructions were given to
tue District Physicians to vaccinate
unprotected persons encountered in
| their practice. Tne Board of Educa-
tion, through its President, has been
| twice requested to cooperate in pre-
venting the spread of the disease by re-
qhir,ng all pupils attending the Public
| Schools to be protected by vaccination,
and saved from exposure by contact in
| the school-room with children from in
iected houses.
Unless power can be obtained to en-
force necessary sanitary measures, there
| is reason to be apprehensive Of as se-
we're an epidemic vi smallpox as that of
| 1871 and 1872, which hurried more than
fifteen hundred human beings to untime-
ly graves. Such result can hardly fail
| of realiZ ltion itparents will, ,as many do,
neglect the vaccination Of their caiIdren:
| if the healthy members Of family and
their friends are permitted to enter the
| chamber OF smallpox patients; if vIsit-
ors to such patients viii return to their
own homes laden with the subtle virus
fof the disease upon their clothing:
| il children from infected houses are per
mitted to attend public or private
schools and associate with other unpro.
| tected scholars; If infected beds, bed
ding and clothing are permitted to be
ventilated from windows in close prox-
unity to those OF adjoining houses, or
sent, without disiniection, to be washed
in the close room of some poor, uusus-
pecting washerwoman; il bodies OF per-
sons deceased OF smallpox are kept for
days before interment, or taken with
large concourses ofmourners TO churches
ior lengthy services before burial; il
cleanliness and all the laws of sanitary
science and hygiene are set at defiance.
The total humber OF smallpox cases
reported at the Board of Health Office
during the present year is $40. The
deaths from the disease have been 1914,
VIZ: in January, IA in February, In
March, in April, % In May, 20 in June,
20 in July, II in August, % in September
and 55 10 the present month.
Every house in which case of the
disease was known to have occurred
has been visited by Sanitary ofl:er;
cleanliness of person and premises has
been urged; ventilation, disinfection and
in some instances fumigation OF
rooms and houses have been EN-.
plOyed. These measures have not been
without great practical benefit, and if
they could be enforced in all cases the
disease would no doubt soon disappear.
But the Board OF Health, it would seem,
mas no power to enforce them.