The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-06-15

cred a boy Lying In the same yard upon
whom had just appeared the eruption Of
very mild yarioiold. had vaccinated
him on my first visit, and It had "taken," +"
but owing TO his previous exposure the
vaccination was little too late, and
hence served only 10 mitigate and not to
fully protect from the disease. He has
taken no medicine and Is now GONZALES.
cling, The house ia guarded.
Fourth-Atter 0'Shaugnessy's iuner.
al, his widow and children we're
kindly taken 10 Rohan's house,
remaining there from May 18th
until the l4th. Rohan, IT,, took sick on
the evening OF the 18th. Hence Mrs.
O'shapghnessy was in the house with
him three days after he had the small
pOx, although not when the eruption wa!
on him. Here she doubtless contracted
the disease, as there was liam told by
herself, the RohAns and her neighbors,)
no communication between the families
after her removal. Mrs. O'S., took sick
June 9th, but did not send for physi'
clan for several days. The case was re-
ported to me Sunday night. ! was at her
house the next morning before her child
ren were out Of bed, and put n man on
guard, and in the evening sent the woman
to the hospital and her children to Ro.
hans and had the house locked up. The
next morning it was disiniected, cleaned
and locked up by my order, and all the
clothing in it burned or cleaned. The
children were scrubbed with a brush
from head 10 feet, and their clothing
boiled and cleaned, and RohAn instruct.
ed not to allow them of his premises
without m order from ME. OF course
they were all vaccinaled, and everybody
else | could find in the neighborhood.
The facts may be briefly stated, thus:
4 case OF small pOx was imported from
Pittsburgh, when the disease Was COM
municated to II woman who had been
kindly taken into the same II5Hse in time
OF her sore distress. Nobody Il to blame
for this.
A case OF varioloid was imported
from New York and communicated to
boy living in the same yard, and who
had been exposed to the patient before
the disease was developed. Nobody is
to blame for this.
Two cases have entirely recovered,
another is recovering, and the last looks
more favorable than day Or two ago.
Thus vanish the -four or tive bad cases."
all Of which arose from the Health OH
GERS neglect OF duty. The simple fact
seems to be that the old women, several
Councilmen and the reporters have "lost
their heads" because case OF smallpox
was moved through the streets in day.
light. II this be true, have simply to
say that my orders were disregarded, for
they were to "start after dark, following
the alleys il possible" ! have no fears
Of any bad result, however, AS the patient
was securely covered.
confess to some sense Of humiliation
At being compelled to go into these details,
for | have always felt that il deserved
credit for anything as Health Officer, it
was for carefully protecting the city
from this dreaded disease. The towns
and cities all around us-Pittsburgh,
COnnellsville, Cumberland, Keyser,
Portsmouth, BenwOOd, Bellaire, ZAnes-
vile, SteubenviIle and many other small
places have been sCourged with smallpox
since was first made Health Officer.
Since February 5, 1873, we have had
forty.one cases, but never since the frat
month OF my election, more than five
cases at any one time. | here declare,
and challenge contradiction, that in not
single instance has case Of smallpox
or varioloid occurred in this city by fault
OF mine. In not single instance, after
the case was reported tome, has the di.
sease spread outside Of the house 1t start
ed in. | do not seek any special credit
for this, since it is chiefly to my own in
terest to stamp out the disease as quickly
as possible. ThiSI have always done, and
whatever may be the feeling Of council
men or reporters, am entirely satisfied
with my success thus far.
Respectfully,
S.L. JErsON, N. d.,
Health Officer.