Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-02-10
SMALLPOX,
Case of Weeks Standing Discovered
in a Lodging House.


Yesterday morning full-developed case
of smallpox was discovered in lodging.
house on J street, between Second and
Third, next to Wells, Fargo & Co.'S build
ing. DR.. Nichols, the Health Officer, had
heard a day or two ago that there was a
smallpox patient in the above lodging
house, and he Immediately proceeded to
investigate. Wednesday he entered the
lodging house and inquired if man by
the name of Lyons lived there. lie was
greeted by an individual who said his
name was Lyons. Upon the surgeon s
telling the man his mission, the latter
laughed and said: We'll, if you think
have the smallpox, examine me-" The
doctor did so, and could find no trace of
the disease on him, and. Withdrawing, re-
ported 10 Mayor Gregory that the suspected
individual was not in the least sick. The
Mayor, however, thought that another ex-
animation would reveal something; but,
TO his disappointment, the same individual,
and not Lyons, was examined again, and
not a sign of the dreaded disease was per-
ceptible
Yesterday morning the Health Officer
and the Mayor and others received the
cealed and that if proper search was
made the afflicted man could be found.
Accordingly DR.. Nichols again went TO the
house, and this time he met the landlady
and inquired of her where Lyons roomed.
The lady pointed to the door of the room,
and as the doctor opened the door he saw
two men in theroom. Approaching them,
he readily saw that he had been deceived
by the man whom he had met on previous
visits. The genuine" Lyons was in the
room, and it was ascertained that the other
man was acting as his nurse. Robert
Hilton, a half-Spanish is the name of the
nurse and he had worked his little game
OF concealment almost to perfection. How
ever, he laughed and said he did not want
to make the case public.
After the discovery, DR.. Nichols sent for
the ambulance wagon, which has been
lately fitted up comfortably. The small
pox patient, Lyons, and Hilton, the lying
nurse, were made to enter the wagon and
were speedily driven out J street to the
pest-house.
The ambulance is an ordinary-sized
wagon, covered with black oilcloth, and is
almost alright. 1t is provided with
blankets and mattresses so that patients
can be carried without any injury.
As soon as the ambulance wagon was
seen at the place and its errand was made
known, the public generally gave the place
wide berth. A hustle of excitement was
created down town, and before an hour had
passed, after the parties were taken to the
pest-house everybody throughout the city
knew of the affair.
1t has been ascertained that the first one
to give notice of this case was a lady who
resides in Washington. Hilton lives over
there. and while tending to his patient
would, during spare moments, go back and
forth from the room TO his house. About
three days ago he went across the river
and, stopping at friends house. he in
formed the lady that he was attending to a
man that had the smallpox. Upon receiving
this startling information Hilton was or
dered from the premises. The lady imme
diately sent word to the authorities. Late
last evening it was rumored that Hilton
had gone from the hospital and was at his
home in Tolo. Such proved to be the
fact, and the Mayor notified the police to
arrest the man if he again placed his foot in
Sacramento. The bridge-tender was also
notified TO warn Hilton not to come into
Sacramento again. The citizens of Wash
ington ought TO take this individual, bind
him hand and foot and cast him in the
overflow back of town