National Republican., 1883-01-19
THE PITTED PLAGUE.
The smallpox in Baltimore.


Tho Washington correspondent of the Balti-
more SIN rises to demonstrate against what he
torms an unnocossaryaarm about smallpox in
Washington. He says "the local papers have
paragraphs every day about the great prepa-
rations made TO stamp out the disease when
there is no disease to stamp it out;" and he
says further that the national board of health
is behind the harmful agitation. Physicians
of long practice have informed him that there
is no danger of an epidemic of smallpox this
winter and no necessity for their agitation.
The smallpox news ON the fourth page of
the Sun contrasts strangely with this twaddle
in its tclcgraphic columns.
While the correspondent lectures the
Washington authorities for two much agita-
tion the local reporters are holding the home
authorities up to public censure for lack OF
vigilance. Cases are cited, and names and
places given, where the health officials had
failed to give the necessary attention three
days after report. All tho precautionary
measures had been neglected, and the disease
is said to have spread in consequence. Flags
were not displayed, isolation was not
secured, and vaccinations of exposed persons
not made until residents in the neighborhood
had made repeated demands for action at the
hands of tho inspectors. A physician re-
ported one case TO the department according
to the Snn) ON Thursday, and the flag was not
pub uub ultll lut lOllOWluH AlOuuly. IuS
husband of one patient Is said TO have been n
tailor, working ut his trade in manufacturing
clothing for wholesale houses at intervals
during attendance MS nurse for his wife,
taking in material and sending out garments
as usual during the illness. Isolation had not
been enforced ut the time of the report.
This does not look as though "great prepa-
rations" had been made or great vigilance is
being exercised in Baltimore. If great prepa-
ratons" had been made by the health author
tiles in Baltimore year ago and they had got
up u littlo of the "agitation and excitement"
which the SIN correspondent terms the pre-
cautionary measures of the health officer here,
the travelling statesmen of that city would not
now be returning without orders and country
merchants would not be avoiding its limits.
It's true, as the correspondent asserts that
VIC have only had one of smallpox here,
and the measures taken are only such as TO
prevent, as far as possible, the introduction of
others, or in the event of their introduction
to avoid communication of the disease from
one TO another of our inhabitants. THE
REPUBLICAN took pains to point out the ex-
act condition of affairs in Baltimore, and it is
satisfied that necessity exists for supervis-
ion of the arrivals from that city. Reports
from the smaller towns of Maryland give
evidence of this. Smallpox has been intro
duced into several of them from Baltimore.
The disease could easily be introduced here
in the same manner, and If our health au-
thorities were careless enough TO allow it to
get foothold, even the assertions of "physi-
clans Of long practice" might not prevent an
epidemic.
There is no unnecessary alarm existing in
this city. The people know that precaution-
AIRY measures have been taken, and they have
entire confidence in the ability of our health
department to protect the community.