Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-02-24
The Prerentto,. of smalt-por.

To the Editor Of the Globe:
The occasional outbreaks of smallpox
in various parts of our state almost de-
mand that the laws in reference to its pre-
vention be improved. If they be not re-
vised, either the public must suffer by the
needless spread of this pest, or the few
who attempt to stay it must risk life and
property to an insufferable extent without
adequate remuneration.
People and states are more willing to
spend millions for mysterious mixtures
than cents for tiresome common sense
work in preventing disease.
Smallpox in our state finds its best
breeding ground and is most dangerous
among those portions of our foreign pop
ulation who are most ignorant, supersti-
tious and Indifferent to hygieuic laws.
The half was never told of the ways in
which many of the citizens of this state
live, and yet I suspect our civilized class
es look upon the reports given by physi-
clans as overdrawn and distorted. Who
will attempt to picture the colossal selfish
ness of men whose regret at the loss of
wives is expressed by the earnest boast
that they had rather lost the best horse in
the barn and to whom the loss of a few
children call forth no such extravaganza e
of feeling; men who knowingly ask in
neighbors to expose them to death for the
smallest and meanest of rea sons. That
such there are l am able to testify.
When smallpox breaks out in such a
neighborhood it is usually discovered by
accident for such people rarely consult q
physician unless the head of the family
is attacked. The enthusiastic and watch
full secretary of the state board of health
! hearing of the rumors is soon III the field
and at once a vigorous fight ensues. He
places health officer in charge and
authorizes him to buy medicines, gro
ceries and clothing for the needy,
to station guards and employ nurses. At
| ter few weeks of heroic struggle the bat
| tie is won and the siege lines raised and
! Joy prevails. Perhaps there have been
thirty or forty cases of the disease in five
or six families, among which are one or two
rich men, the others very poor. A
thousand or two thousand dollars expenses
have been incurred, for health officer,
guards, nurses, medicine, groceries, etc.
The medical treatment of the sick has
been little, but the work Of quarantine I'M
dertaken, not for the sick but in behalf of
the well public, is immense. Now, who is
to pay the men who in the hour of need
looked not for money but did their duty re-
gardless of consequences? What would
the public say of the grocer who would re-
fuse to send goods without cash in such an
emergency? Why, that he was brute.
But not being a brute may make him a
bankrupt for all our present laws will Go
for him. By whom and when
will the bills be paid
One says by the people treated. But the
people treated desire but little benefit, not
one-tenth of the expense was for them, but
to save those outside the quarantine. They
did not employ company of men and a
physician to restrain their own liberties,
and they will not pay him. Another says.
let the town pay it. 1. It is very heavy
expense on a small township sparsely set
tied. 2. They refuse to pay it. Sue them
and get judgment? That takes time aDd
is not money. The treasurer refuses to
sign the orders, by expense and a process
of law you can make him sign, and yet
there is nc money. The people refuse to
raise tax for the sum, then more law and
more waiting, and tax may be voted and
it is possible that time, which conquers al
things, may extrac. something in the IN
certain future, if the grocer, nurse and
doctor, who are not brutes, are still living
Now, it may not be just to pay all these
bills, but 1t seems to me that either the
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order these things, or it should see that
from some source just bills be speedily
settled with ready money. And there is nc
doubt but that in some instances in coun
try districts far from towns the benefits tc
the state are larger and the difficulties II
maintaining quarantine are such that tht
expense should be at least in part borne by
the state. Respectfully,
JAMES II. DUNN.
anI