Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1881-02-12

DSNu SSNJ
crease for the last three
years.
precautions Against Small P"N'
The ordinance introduced into the
City Council on Thursday night oy
Merris Taylor to compel the hanging
out of a flag of some designated color,
red or yellow no matter which, at pIa
res where small pox is prevailing Is
timely and demanded by the exigen
cies of the times. Every effort posi-
BILE should be made to prevent the
spread of the disease ever to the utter
isolation of the house and family
where it exists. We are not aware
that there is any great cause for an
alarm in our city at present but as the
disease is on the increase slarmingly
in other cities there is no good reason
vhy Wilmington will be more
sxempt from the scourge than other
cities bat more preeaution is needed
to prevent the spread. There is a dis
position in families if a case Of small
pox breaks out, to hide it from the
puSlic and crowd it into a small back
room while perhaps visitors may go
and come as usual as if there was
nothing the matter. 1t is to inset such
CASES that Mr.. Taylor offered his
resolution. To be compelled to hang
cut q Nag may work great inconVe'
niencs to family and may even be
attended with great pscuniary loss. In
such cases where all means OF liveli'
hood are cut of, means should be pro-
yidsd by the City Council to keep such
insulated families from suffering from
want. To this there may be objections
by some would be economist, but ii
would be better TO do this than to sub
iect whole community to the raVsgei
of small pox.
The fatal effect OF individual igro
rance 1r5 carelessn ness in this matte
WAS shown in Philadelphia a few year
ago. A single case of small pox &C
curred in a crowded suburb; the be
on which the patient Gied was burne
in the street on heavy foggy night
Forty cases resulted in one block, ar
thence the disease spread over tn
city until 5000 deaths in one winte
we're the fatai fruit Of that single act. /
check small pox requires that II o
checked short in each individual case
that the poison be killed by scrupulou
care and those disinfeoting prooesse
which are SO cheap as to be within tn
reach of tho poorest, and if any are to
poor to purchase let the City Couno
through the Board of Health suppl
them, 1t is SO troublesome to do tn
however that it will never be done
all cases unless there are legal enac
ments compulsory in their character.
Another means Of providing again
the spread of small pox would be Il
establishment Of a hospital for the
Aicted, but maintained in such ma
nsr that any person who is able con
receive as skillful nursing and mec
raj care "a If he remained at nom
There is a perfect dread Of being Sc
to common small pOx hospital and
ia looked upon as a dismissal to tt
coffin. We have no fault to find wi
our aims house hospital, but such
unsayory odor hangs around It that
ia looked upon as nothing more than
nest house where patients are only Sc
70 die instead OF to be cared. II
bad impression should be removed,
providing the best of skill'ul after
.uce and comforts. This would insp
such confidence that it would bs
desire Of any psrsoa attacked with
disease to be removed Immediately
such hospital that the further spre
of the disease al home might be che
ed. We hops that not only Mr.. Il
lor's flag ordinance may pass out Il
ether more stringent measures such
suggested may be adopted also.