Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-10-23
SOME LIES NAILED.
No Small Pox in Burlington.

The repetition of false and injurious ru-
mors alleging the existence of small pox
rs an epidemic in Burlington makes it
proper for us to say that there is not, and
has not been for a fortnight, u case of
small pox or varioloid in the city. Two
weeks ago, the disease appeared in house
on Battery street, where young man and
little child broke out simultaneously
with it, having caught 1t, it is supposed
from contagion brought in the clothes of
visitor from Montreal. These have been
the only cases in Burlington this season.
The patients were Mt once removed to
pest house, outside of the city and several
miles away. The house, where the dis
ease appeared, was fumgated and guard
ed, its inmates isolated, and every precau-
ton taken by the Health Officer to pre-
vent any spreading of the contagion
and with entire success. No otner
case has appeared, and the period
of incubation, during which the
disease would have made its appear
ance, if there had been any contagioi from
these cases, expires to-day. The stat ment
published by the Boston RCcOrd. roy
Times and Rutland HCrdld, to the effect
that the disease is epidemic here; that
several deaths have occurred that a mum
Der of cases exist in different parts of the
city, and that a state of panic prevails
among our citizens, are gross and in some
cases, we doubt not, malicious falsehoods.
The disease has not been epidemic here
it has appeared in but one house. The
baby died; the young man is improving
ana expected to recover There have been
but those two cases and but one death,
, winch dld not occur in this city. No
alarm has prevailed among our citizens,
and there has been no occasion for any.
here has been no interruption of any
} business or pursuit, and no occasion for
= any. This is the truth, the whole truth,
: and nothing but tine truth
The Rutland Herdld, in its jealousy and
petty spite against Burlington, allows
e itself to circulate the mean falsehood, that
: the Health Officer of Burlington hastily
moved several small poX patients out of
, the city day before yesterday, in order that
he might publish his statement of yester-
day, that there was no small poX in the
city This assertion of the Herdld is pure
invention, designed, with the accompany
q ing falsehoods, to iniure the business of
Burlington by leading the public to sup
pose that our city authorities are trying to
= hide the existence of Il dangerous epidemic
e here. If the Hcrdid thinks it can accom-
: plish anything in that way, let it keep on.
The only patients of the kind, as we have
sad, were removed thirteen days before
Dr. llnsley made his statement in our
columns yesterday. If The disease had
5 been epidemic here or there had
= been any reason to sunnose that it
6 would he, the Health Officer would
> have deemed it his duty to announce the
z fact, for the protection of the public. The
# contrary being the case, he saw no occa,
: sion for any proclamation concerning the
two sporadic cases of a fortnight ago.
What he has stated was the truth We
may add that he has acted with equal
n energy and success in the precautions
t against contagion; and our community
: owes him gratitude and thanks for his
, efforts.
II OF course, as we have said before, with
the plague prevailing in Montreal Though
e II Is now subsiding there it is not impos
V sible that some case of the disease may be
!. brought to or appear in our city; but oul
authorities are wide awake; the Health
$ Officer Is vigilant; vaccination has beer
general and if any case should appear, it
will be treated as those mentioned We're
and with like effect. There is therefore
no cause for any alarm among our citl
, zens, and none exists AS for tine lying
= rumors put afioat to the prejudice of on
- city, by interested persons, they will re
$ coil Oh their inventors.