The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-01-24
sitl,mond 1ispatth.
r-rspAY.....'''''ANU - 1884,
~, DEVOTION or CATHOLIC PRIEST
FATAL CASES.

....- nyVOTiON OF CATHOLIC PRIEST
FATAL CASES.
rho Baltimore american publishes the
I'm ~ regarding the smallpox in Mary
"y ..Dr Charles W. Chancellor, sccre-
hA" ,be state Board of Health, returned
t~, ,c.ferd1y from Charles county, Md.
h,. ~. no went few days ago 90 look after
,,,sll-poN patients at CoN'S station.
. .~ ,ororf, Of The sad plight Of the victims
-. dread disease, he aSccrtaincd. were
" '.,vise exaggerated. The patients,
=, IN number. all Of whom were colorcd.
Nv, csc, were first reported, were found
W.. IN a miserable little cabin about
~ mile, below CoX'S station. and near
!, ..-~,iaus Of the Baltimore and Potomac
g,,al. Their condition was pitiful in
t.,vteme. From the day on which ru-
co.. N thcir being sick spread through
~. pciehborhood they were left helpless,
o., Ne or recover, n Providence might
sm II was not until they had been sick
.,,rsl DAYS n at information Of their help
H.. condition reached Rev. Father Me-
.elcnv. the Catholic priest OF the parish.
,b, promptly took measures for their
,erf REGARDLESS OF the fact that he had
,.rsr had the disease. he at once
or,e,clcd ~ the cabin Of the sufferers
s~4 did all he could 10 make them
moro comfortable. When 1t became
Known that the priest had been
30 the infected house, Inc was generally
avoided. and Il was only 10y much persua-
.'on thsi he could obtain the most trifng
article. for the comfort Of the afflicted men.
Although virtually forbidden 70 enter any
h,u.e in the vicinity. Father McSweeny
r,-.eyorcd, and day after day visited the
little cabin in the woods, bearing such deli
rsci,. and medicines a. he could procure
from the alarmed county residents, who
s,oilcd him on all occasions. DIR. Chanccl-
or speaks in warm terms OF Father Me-
Swecny's dcN otion, which, he said. was more
quuar,nt in view 81 the fact that the priest
"a. ,hc only one in the vicinity. physicians
Included. VINO could be induced 70 90 to the
aid ~ the patients. One of the cOlOred
mon died. and had il not been for Father
Vrssceny the body would have remained
uiuricd until the arrival Of Or. Chancel-
I0r and his assistants. When death claimed
tac ictim The priest induced a man who
agd once been afflicted with the disease TO
a,.,, in burying the corpse. The priest
and his assistant dug the grave near the
cabin and laid the body 10 rest. after great diff
d.llty. thus probably preventing the spread
oi ih" disease among the ncighboTs. who 80
pcr.i>tcntly declined 10 aid in the work. Or.
Chancellor SAYS that when Father McSwee-
us was questioned about his humane course
Dee simply and mndestly remarked that he
could not allow the men 10 suffer and die
without doing something TO help them.
When Or. Chancellor, who was accompa-
uiCd hy Or. William +. Lockwood. reached
the scene. they found that an additional
ease had been discovered one and
BALI miles from COX's station Dr.
Chancellor Immediately placed DR.. Lock-
wood in charge Or. Lockwood went
vigorously 60 work, caring for the sick
and taking measures 10 prevent the spread
OF the disease. lie at once provided the
necessary medi. inc and food. which had
been taken from this city. Or. Lockwood
also commenced vaccinating everybody in
the vicinity. and sent ont circulars through
the country requesting every one TO come
into CoX'S station. where he Is located. in
order To Dee yaccinated. Or. Chancellor
stated Yesterday that he was confident that
fhc precautionary measures taken would
check the course ~ the disease"