National Republican., 1879-12-27
THE SMALLPOX SCARE.
What Health officer Townshend Has
to Say About 1t.
Only One New Case Reported--The origin oi
the Disease still n Mystery--Thlrteen
Cases in all Reported-Thc Duty of
Physicians-Kemoval OF Pa
tients TO the Hospital
Not Compulsory, sc.
Guarding Against an Epidemic.

ANY new cases of smallpox today" asked n
reporter OF THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN of Health
Health omcer-only one to day-a child removed
from the Washington Asylum.
Rcporter-Have you succeeded in tracing ont the
origin of the disease
II. Ono The most careful investigation has
failed so far TO reveal any clue to It's origin. The
its spontaneity almost to defy the theory Of COM
municnton from one to another by contact In
one case only we have been able TO trace the dis
ease TO Its source, or rather back certain distance
The man taken from Seventeenth street northwest
had been IN the jail and was relepsed u few days
previous TO his attack lie must have become in
fected while in that institution but how the con-
tGgon was first introduced there is stll mystery.
Rcporter-Might II not have come from the small
poN hOsplt0l2
o.-That, think. is hardly probable. Tho
Washington Asylum is in as close proximity to it
as the jnil, and the former institution. l am in
formed, never had smallpox introduced there
during the entire time OF the epidemic oflS'2.53.
IL is more probable that II was brought in either by
visitors or by some prisoner who had become in
| ieeted before being incarcerated
Reporler-How many cases In oil have come TO
your notice ?
II. O.-Thirteen-nlne now in the hospital and
| four Isolated and guarded in the houses where
| found.
Rcporter-Do you think there are other cases
concealed or rather not reported by physicians :
persons who fear II reported they may be com
| PEELED 70 20 to the hOSpital2
II. OIL trust there are no such casos. The ply
Fclans generally know that removal to hospital IS
not compulsory where proper isolation can be had
in private residences and believe that the gentle.
men composing the medical profession nlly recog-
nze the importance and necessity for cooperating
with us in such cases They receive only assist.
| @nce from the Health Department aud certainly
| have nothing to fear do not thin; any physi-
clan VIII hesitate to report promptly suspicious
/ case coming 10 his notice.
Reporter-What assistance do you render,
| Doctor?
| II. Dwell, we send and have premises thor.
oughly fumigated and disinfeCted; have an cX-
| perienced man to give advice aud TO perform any
service for the afflicted which 1t becomes diicult
| to get those from the outside to do. We render
| assistance IN many little ways.
| RcporIer-Wha: docs the law require Of physi
| claus2
II. o.--It requires them to report any case within
twelve hours after the first visit discovery Of the
| diseases
Reporter-Undcr penalty?
II. O.-leS, under penalty of from $40 20 SIC
| for each failure or refusal. l don't think, how
ever, that we Will be called upon to enforce this
! law.
Reporter-well, Doctor, what do you think ot
the matter from the present outlook Docs al
epidemic OF endemic seem probable?
| II. Dwell, that is rather Il hard question tc
answer. As | said before, the history Of tile out
break is peculiar and not exactly in accord with
certain wcll-iOundCd theories respecting III;
disease. do not think from present appearance ei
that we have any cause for alarm, but there IL
necessity for rigorous action. We all know thC
truth of the old saying that prevention Is better
than cure and i can b. most fly applied
here. We are acting promptly in al cases, ant
viii continue TO use our utmost efforts TO crush ou
the disease. II wo can get tourp0pulation generally
| vaccnated, and secure the cooperation Of al
physicians and good citizens am satisfied that al
| viii soon be well.