The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1886-12-08

en- down with the disease and died
April 1st, AsfeB days later a sis
ter oftbispatisns was taken. Two
days afterwards two other cases &C.
Cured. Aud on the 10th two Other
cases occurred. Between April Sth
and 18th there were sixteen cases
transferred to another hospital
On the l4th Of April all the pa.
tients in the Hospital who did moi
have the disease, and who could Il
home were allowed 70 do 50. Fifty
or sixty pStients remained, the
rest we're scattered over Che city,
These proceedings III sowing The
seed for an epidemic need no furth.
or comment than 10 saythey were
eminSntly successful. The fitst
death was on April 1st, including
this, the deaths in the city from
this cause were by months April
8; May 10; June IA; July 46; August
2S9; September $50; October 1893;
November 6SS; December 165; total
Sl&. 1t is not without interest to
compare this with the death rate
from the same cause for the prev.
ious ten years; 1875, 500; 1876,
7oS; 1877, sos; 1878, T2S; 1870, AIS;
1880, 14O; 1881, s; 1882, o; 1883, 0;
1884, 0; 1885, 1854. The disburse.
ments OF the health department in
the city for special smallpox work,
from the beginning ofthe epidemic
to December31st, 1855, were accord.
ing to the statement Of the city
Auditor az far as the credits had
come in S137, ,770.6O. This exhibit
Of the city whether 1t were this
that were shown, or whether II
were double or trebled is no true
measure Of the loss and suffering
which this calamity entailed. As
actual loss must be estimated the
worth of the human lives which
have been prematurely cut of; the
time lost by sickness; expenses in.
Cured in caring for the sick; ex,
penses Of burialS; loss by dimiuu.
tion Of trade and manufacturing
industries; loss by railways, steam.
boats and local carriers; loss to Ho,
tel keepers; all these and other
items must come into the count in
making up a true estimate Of the
real cost Of Montrcal's calamity
Dr., Benjamin Leo made such an
estimate Of the "cost Of o great op
idemic in a great city" for the cpl,
demic of smallpox which prevailed
in Philadelphia in 1912. This
epidemic as regards the number Of
deaths was not very far from The
number that occurred in Montreal,
and it was conclusiyely shown that
the coat to Philadelphia was over
S2l, 100000; and all from one case Of
u preventable disease; the most Ger.
tainly and the must easily prevent.
able Of all known disease. l refer
red just now to the epidemic Of ty.
phoid.fever at Plymouth, Penn,
when in a town with 5000 inhabi.
tantS, 1900 were stricken down
with typhoid.fever and 150 died in
few weeks, all directly traceable
To water polluted by the excreLa
from one patient. The several
committees appointed to investi.
gate the cause of the outbreak agree
in the report that it was all pro
duced by one case brought from
Philadelphia. They found The res.
ervoirs in good condition, the wat.
er pure and in abundant supply,
In the only house upon the stream
between the reservoirs, in within
forty.feet Of its bank they found a
patient now convalesCing from an
attack Of typhoidfever. This pa.
tient visited Philadelphia Decem-
Der 25th and he thinks then con.
tracted typhoid fever. He return
ed home January 2nd, and from
that time was i'll with the disease
for a number of weeks. The last
visit Of his physician was April
18th. The excreta from this pa
tient without any attempt at dis.
infection we're thrown upon the
snow towards the creek. The ex.
creta were thrown out from time 10
time and there accumulated and re.
mained innoouOus upon the snow
aud frozen ground, From March
25th to April 18th, the temperature
was mild, above the freezing point
and there were warm showers Of
rain. ~ a"lfaH
These thaws and rains carried a
large portion Of the melted snow
and with 1t the accumulated poi
sOnOus exCreta directly into the
water supply. Surprising this To
have occurred between March 18th
md Anil kih nnl