Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-07-17
THE SMALLPOX.
the rEurLE DEnAND Some Auriox.

THE PEOPLE OB2ANO BONE ACTION.
A Meeting In the Uouncli Chambsr-Busa-
mess Mon, Board OF Health and
Uthers-A Gall ON the Com
miseloners.
At the request of number of business
men a meeting was held in common coun.
Gil chamber Monday evening to discuss
what measures will best tend to stamp out
the smallpox now prevailing in Lancaster,
and restore the trade to the city, which
has been greatly injured by exaggerated
reports concerning it.
All the members of the board of health
and Of the sanitary committee were
present, together with the mayor of the
city and number of merchants and pro-
fessiOnal men.
II. 4. Fulton, esq.,, was called to the
chair and stated the object of the meet
ing.
DR.. Bolenius said that the sanitary COM
mittee of councils had drafted an ordi-
nance to be presented to the next meeting
of that body, conferrirg upon tho board of
health additional powers. Tho principal
provisions of the ordinance are. compul-
sorry vaccination, full power to quarantine
persons where contagious diseases exist,
and authority by the board of health to
take charge of and control the disposal of
dangerous cases.
George Nauman, esq, stated that Mr..
John Hager had called on him at the re-
quest of many business men to 60 with
him to the county commissioners and urge
upon them the Importance of speedily
erecting hospital for smallpox patients.
They met the commissioners and were
informed By them that they had resolved
81 hui n skolo ok
So: 600; and that they would like the
board of health and sanitary committee to
furnish them plans of building that
would meet the views of the board of
health, the sanitary committee and the
public generally, and to meeet the commits.
sioners at their Office on Wednesday be-
tween 10 and 12 o'clock.
DR.. Reed asked how long it would take
to erect suitable building.
Mr.. Hager said it could be done in 80
days.
Mr.. Nauman reminded tho meeting that
tho county commissioners in their pro-
posed course, were acting largely on their
own responsibility, and in Difference to
their sense of duty and the public demand,
rather than in strict accordance with the
technicalities Of the law. He thought
there should be free Interchange of
opinions at this meeting and that the
views of persons present should be laid
before tho commissioners.
Henry Wolf, of the sanitary committee,
offered the following preamble aud resO
luton which were adopted
"WHEREAs, The cases of smallpox have |
become numerous in the city of Lancaster |
and the disease seems to be spreading, and |
it is urgent that a building should be
erected in which persons suffering can be
treated and the malady checked in its in
crease
'.Resolued, That tho board of health, the
sanitary committee Of councils and the
mayor of tho city meet the county COM
missioners On Wednesday morning at 10
o'clock to request them to cause q suitable
building to be Immediately put up for the
purpose of treating patients suffering from
smallpox, separating them from the rest
of the community and preventing the
spread of tho disorder"
Mr.. Hager said that Mr.. Dinkleberger
had offered to prepare gratuitOusly plans |
and specifications of the new hospital. A |
plan had been prepared by Mr.. Evans, but |
the sanitary committee and board of health |
did not like lit was two stories high, |
too wide and not long enough. The pro- |
posed Dinkleberger building would be one |
story high, 30 feet in width and 90 feet in |
length.
DR.. Bolenius suggested that the build
ing should be OF frame and in this Wow
other members concurred.
Mr.. Nauman thought the commission |
ers should be furnished with 4 copy of the |
proposed ordinance referred to by Or. |
Bolenius, to lot them know what tho city |
authorities are doing to check the disease.
MIR. Fulton stated that DR.. Fitzpatrick,
health commissioner, had Informed him |
that he had made application at the hos
pital for accommodation for four poor |
smallpox patients, and that he had been |
told by the hospital officials that they had |
no room for them. He wanted to know |
what was to done with them.
DR.. Reed suggested that they bs quar-
autined in their own homes until suitable |
quarters can be secured for them. He |
thought that 4 temporary building might |
be erected Oh the hospital grounds at |
short notice, and that in tho meantime the |
sufferers should bo provided for and re-
ceive medical attention ut their homes
under strict quarantine.
DR.. Bolenius thought that ten or fifteen
more smallpox patients might be accommO-
dated in the buildings at the county hospi-
tai. There are now only about fifteen
cases there and room might be made for
thirty. He moved for the appointment of
a committee to confer with the hospital
officials. The motion was agreed to
and the chair appointed, DR.. Bolenius,
Henry Wolf, DR.. Reed and II. A. Diller
said committee.
DR.. Bolenius moved that virus for the
of poor patients be purchased
and placed at the disposal of physicians for
that purpose and that tho purchases be
mado from the different druggists of the
city. Agreed to.
Mr.. Fulton said tho board Of health
was regarded by many IS q failure, and
to some extent it was 50 because it had
no power to do all that was neassary to
be done. If tho board had failed to do
anything it had authority to do, he would
like to know what it is. He was sure the
board had stretched it's authority, and had
done some things it had no legal right to
dot had appointed health commits
sioner and ordered him to nail up red
flags on infected houses, thus rendering the
board and the commissioner liable to pros.
ocutiOn. lie hoped those who complained
IF the inaction of the board would use
heir influence to confer upon tho board
additional power, thus enabling them to
10 moro good than can be done under
their present limited authority.
Adjourned.
No New Cases.
Although several sensational rumOrs of
new cases were current Oh the street to-
lay, careful investigation by the board
If health shows that the rumors are un-
'Ounded. Not single new case can be