The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1876-03-16
Small POx on the Brain of a
Health Officer.

Small Pox on the Brain of a
Health Officer.
Mr.. EDITOR FL have noticed an ar-
ticle IN the columns of your paper,
over the signature of our Health Off
Ger, concerning the small -pox in the
family, of Mr.. Aberdeen IiaConnt. I
treated all those cases, and, afte. I got
through, gave a short, true statement
took none of the glory to myself mis-
represented nor slandered no one. Had
the Health Officer given his ~reportFinl
the same honorable way, I should not
have said word in reply, as men will
differ IN their Judgments. and have a
perfect right to their HONEST opinion.
But when a man will come down from
the position of gentleman and lapr
| fessional honor; and use his ofliciaispn%
sition as cloak to injure his fellow
men and aggrandise himself, l am call
ed upon, by every principle of my
manhood, by every principle of my
noble profession, by every principle Of
duty to the afflicted world, to review
his article and show the facts i'm the
case. But we need not wonder when
We remember that the telegraph wires.
are continually heralding the deplora-.
BILE news from east to west, from south
to north, the recreancy Of officers.
This wonderful Health Officer says
it has been reported by some "goose
quack," and without ordinary sense"
! Cor to that effecD that LaCount's three
lchildren had the chicken-pox. Now,
I wonder if the Trustees of Ravenna
Township expected their great Health
Officer to use, in his report, such low,
unbecoming slang. Most assuredly
not !! Il wonder il HE thought his low
| slang would secure the appreciation of
the Intelligent part of community? If
he did, L can. assure. him that there is
not "a lady, ora gentleman, in this or
any other community Of any intelli-
gence OR culture, but who will say it is
low food for the gossiper and character
monger. He has surely already for
gotten the Rev. Cruzan's sermon on
vulgarity, slang, gossip and slander.
He had better get a copy aud post it up
in his Office l9 f1eai fi9.5itl
/ This Health Officer says there were
six persons in the LaCount family that
had the smallpox, and one Died, and
he commanded all the rest to be vac
cinated, and to use all possible care to
prevent its spreading; but for some
reason vaccination was not performed.
And l should think from the reading
of his article that he has brOoded over
that wonderful disObedience until it
has given him the DEIIRIUM TRENtENS,
and in the frenzy of Ills excitement 1le
looked into the glass and saw a g0ose
halioaing "oUACK" at him. He pat
his hand to his head and found so little
brain, that he was destitute of common
SENSE 9ief eid9e slft ga - 40oi : t-s,
i Now, Mr.. Editor, what are, the facts
in the case? This Health Officer would
have the community to believe that
they were indebted to him for their
lives and health, as it was through his
matchless sagacity and foresight that
the smallpox was kept from spread
4 ing. Now let us hold up the facts and
look them over. In the first place I
was called on, to see the case. Suppos-
Health Officers slang phrases would
have this community believe me to be,
and failed to detect the true character
/ Of the disease, as this great Health Of
4 ficer's brothers have done in nearly
i every place since this loathsome disease
has been sweeping over the country.
His brother doctors have misjudged
the disease, stOutly declaring it was;
,LICHEN, until it had contaminated the
entire community, aud hundreds fell a
prey to the disease for the want of sei-
| ence on the part Of the doctors. Was
this not the case in Syracase?S Was
this not the ease in Cincinnati? Was
this not the case i'll Columbus: Was
4 this not the c:tSe in CuyalioSa Falis2
If had belonged to- the class, of this
Wonderful Health OFFICER and brother
doctors, and let il spread through this
community, would all the Trustees in
Ohio, or all the Health Officers in the
world been able to have prevented it
spreading: There was no one that
had the most distant idea that there
was n case of smallpox within fifty
miles of Ravenna until l detected it
the earliest possible moment, and re-
ported it to Mr.. Lindsay, one of the
Trustees. Long before this great Health
! Officer got there with his slang, i had
! the very best disinfectants, placetfz
! through the honse; and although all
the family had been vaccinat ed excert,
little Willie, a three year Old boy, p
put all under the influence of internal
vaccination, which is recognized and
1 practiced by many of the most scien-
life physicians of the werid. 1In thes
T.aCOunt family it actet in .1he most
satisfactory manner. Not one of them
| took the dise,,se;;i and by my vigilance
in SO early detecting, reporting, and.
using the early precaution, l was able
to completely strangul.te the disease.
And now, Mr.. Editor, let's hold up
this great Health Officer again, and see
who he resembles. I can give YOU a
| FAC SMILE of the man. He reminds
me of the man in the bear fight. Old
| Bruin came to carry off the little.pigs.
| The old woman went out to chase off
| the bear, whilst the cowardly old man
watched the fight out of the window.
After the old woman had demolished
the bear, the skulking old hypocritea
came out in great glee: My, o did
MT WE give it TO him? We.have killed
the ugly old rascal, aud saved our nice
little pigs" v af.sa7s
Now, Mr.. Editor. look at this Health
Officer again. Would you suppose there
could be ali animal in the shape of a
human being SO forgetful of his duty
to society and to his God that he would /
dare to come out in public print, with Il
out any prOvocation, and call au old
man told enough to be his father) Il
goose" a "quack," ," and declare him
destitute of common sense, while the I
old man has practicett medicine longer |
than the Health Officer has lived, ba- !
byhood and all; aud has for gotten !
enough more .tI.an the great Health |
Officer has brain to ever learn. .tA"
Now, Mr.. Editor. look at him again.
Hear him declaring that six of Mr., |
LaCount's family had tile small -pox.
Now, for the proof of the f:tlsity of his
assertion. ~ Symptoms are our only |
guide; they are the evidence that set-f