Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-08-29

4 OF LIE HEALTH AMI SAAAA
DREN WITH THE DISEASE ALLOWED IN TIL
STREETS.
| A telegram to the New York Sun from Mon
| treal, August oath, says: The rapid spread o.
| smallpox in this city during the last 1e"
months has given rise to a severe critlcism o.
the sanitary system of the city, and 1t Is gener-
ally conceded that If prompt action had been
taken at the first to stamp out the disease the
presenD alarm would have been unheard OF.
The epidemic was simple in its origin, which
shows how much need there Is for an ever vigil
liant sanitary department. Pullman car con-
ductor caught the disease In Chicago, and
brought it to Montreal. He was sent to the
Hotel Dieu Hospital, his case being pronounced
as simple chicken-pOx. He grew worse. AL
the symptoms of viruent smallpox appeared,
and in a very short time the disease had spread
and was brought by attendants to the city.
Among the poorer people it readily found Its
victims. The French community show pecu-
liar disregard to the disease, which they treat
very lightly. 1t is not an unusual sight to see
French people, with the disease full upon them
attending to their regular business, and fire.
quently French children so afflicted are found
playing about on the streets with other chill
dren.
Under such a state of affairs it was no wonder
that the disease rapidly spread. The sanitary
officials were pOweriess in the face of the cpl
demic. What was needed was O stringent law
compelling immediate isolation on the discOv.
cry of a case. But no such law existed, and the
from their premises If they came to take their
relatives to the hospital, and tore down the
posters that had been put up over the house to
warn the public. 1t was utterly impossible to
suppress the disease under existing regulations
The officials did all they could under the law
The smallpox hospital in the mountain, which
had been closed for several years, was re.
opened, and all who would admit of 1t were re-
moved to it. The patients are well attended ia
dne a the hospital is kept scrupulously clean
ana, In TACT, the occupants stand a far better
chance of recovery than if they were in their
own homes
Several incidents of the visitation show the
carelesSness displayed. In one place ON one OF
the leading streets of the city several of the
children instead of being isolated were allowed
to walk up and down with the pustules thick
upon them: In another case an English lady
had one of her children stricken with the dis.
ease. She Immediately had it isolated, and re.
manned alone in the house with it. The wash.
Ing day came around, but the waSherwOman
was told not to enter the house, as there was
smallpox. "Oh, 1 don't mind it," was her
reply; "my two children lad it last week" The
mother was naturally very indignant. 1t is
with such people the officials have to deal, and
1t is not surprising that the epidemic is spread
Ing;
The local press published long articles on the
progress of the scOurge and started a 'vaccina-
ton boom. OF late years the habit of vaccina-
ton had fallen into disuSe. A law was passed
as long ago sci making 1t imperative that
| all children over three months old should be
vaccinated, ON pain of n heavy penalty. Had
the law been vigorously enforced there is no
doubt that the pestilence would have been
Llucu less Dut III WiAS nOL enforced,
and 1t was only on the press calling attention
To- the matter that vigorous steps were taken
tor extensive vaccination The city appointed
four public vaccinatOrs, who have had all they
could do to attend to the crowds that fiocked
To them, and the physicians, who charged 81
and 81 IL head, have been making handsome
prOfit. This system of vaccinating Is beginning
tO have its effect and already there is marked
abatement in the spread OF the epidemic.
At the present date there are altogether fifty
four Gases in the city hospital. The total deaths
from smallpox since the beginning of the cpl
demic III the city now number nearly 900.
There were fifty-Six deaths last week alone out
of n population, it must be considered, of over
100000. The largest number of deaths re.
corded during previous epidemics was 1913 in
1870, of whom 500 We're French Canadians.
showing marked abatement
The worst result of tine epidemic is undoubt-
edly the harm 1t will indirectly do the CITY,
Much more has been made of it by both press
and public than of any former visitation, and
the result has been that the city has been, to q
great extent, "bOycOtted" by travellers. Mon.
treal was never before so quiet as it has been
ing. hotels are deserted, the usual numerous
amusements are being stopped, and visitors
are giving the city a wide berth. The Hartford
Light Guards proposed TO come on to Montreal
next month, but they have changed their inten-
ton, and Will go tO Halifax. Though many of
the dispatches and stories that have been sent
from Montreal have been much exaggerated
there be doubt that up to within the
last few days there was good cause for alarm. Ii
Will take some time to restore the confidence OF
the travelling public in Montreal, but the pesti
lence will ut least have the effect of impressiDg
upon the city officials the necessity for greater
precaution and more stringent laws.