Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-11-13
A BRAVE DOCTOR.

When Herman Dean was in college and
the medical school, he was SO timid and SO
slow of speech that his fellow students made
him the butt Of frequent jokes.
He seemed to know his lessons, but in en-
deavoriug to recite them he floundered about
and clutched at his words desperately and
awkwardfy, and made but a poor appear
ance. One could not help smiling at the tall,
clumsy, blushing fellow. But he worked at
some Of the problems that discouraged the
rest of us with q stubborn courage that en-
abled him more than once TO surprise us and
put MS to shame. Thorough" seemed to be
his motto
He took bis degree Of NJ. D. with honors,
and soon afterward we heard that he had
been appointed a United States medical in
spector on the Maine frontier.
BE entered upon his official duties in 1855,
the yeaz of the memorable smallpox cpl
Gemic which in Montreal and the surround
ing villages ragged destructively among tho
French Canadians With almost incredible
fanaticism, thousands of these people refused
TO be vaccinated. They declared that to vac
cinate was to oppose the Divine will. God
had sent la picotte, and to try to prevent its
spread was wicked. The Canadian health
officials in attempting to compel them to be
vaccinated were fiercely assaulted, their flags
and placards torn down. and the people rioted
IN the streets. Under these circumstances it
was almost impossible TO check the epidemic.
The American health officials established a
rigid system of inspection along the Cana
dian border, and required that all passengers
Oh railroad trains coming from Canada
should be fumgated Surgeons with the
necessary appliances were stationed at the
railroad stations and on the wood roads and
forest trails leading across the boundary to
vaccina,e all people arriving from Canada
who had not already been vaccinated
Young DR.. Dean was directed to make a
tour of the logging camps III the Moosehead
lake region, aud to vaccinate every man in
their crews whose arm did not show fresh
scar. Among these loggers were many ignor-
ant, lawles5 fellows, some of whom had the
stupid prejudice against vaccination which
had led the French people across the border
to resist the efforts OF the Canadian doctors.
Their employers and the foremen. however,
were heartily in sympathy with the work of
the surgeon, and did their best to compel
their men to submit to his lancet.
q French Canadian called Pierre Couteau,
who was unusually obstinate and showed a
vicious temper IN his opposition to the doc
tors purpose to vaccinate him. lie was a
huge fellow with black beard, and great
red scar on his forehead.
sits Of no use for you to hang of--you;ve
got to have the job done," said Dixon, the
boss Of the camp.
''No" answered Pierre, crisply and dog
gediy.
Don't make any fuss about it, Roll UP
the sleeve Of your frocA!" ordered Dixon.
DR.. Dean took a step toward the Canadian
"Now growled the fellow, with an ominous
emphasis, at the same time grasping his Ok
as if to strike. His eyes flashed, the scar on
his forehead grew redder, and he fairly
bristled with wicked determination.
Dixon was furiously angry, and burst into
. torrent OF profane explanations.
leave this camp, and don't you ever come
back, you bruter' he cried 1--WE don't want
any murderers heret'
Pierre muttered few words in his native
patois, flashed defiant look at the foreman
dropped his TX with a scornful gesture and
turned to go away.
In q second Dr.. Dean sprang upon him
tripped him, threw him to the ground, face
downward, and jumped on his back Dixon
came quickly to his assistance and helped tc
hold the man down.
Throttle the scoundrelln exclaimed the
excited foreman.
No. said the doctor, coolly, I'm going
to vaccinate him"
A friendly wool chopper happened to come
along. He helped Dixon TO hold down the
struggling, cursing, frothing man, while DR..
Dean cut away his frock and shirt, criscrossed
his skin with his lancet and rubbed in the
vaccine In less than a minute the operation
was over.
Trembling with rage. but cowed, the Cana
dian jumped up, flung back an angry threat
at the doctor, took his small pack of clothing
snd, still breathing vengeance, strobe away
from the camp
Il dunno; | guess you made mistake. =
said Dixon
s'WhyT asked the doctor.
THAT critter is liable 70 kill you He's 6
bad onei- l rather think twould have beer
better to let him go without trying to vacci
nate him"
If I'd let him so he'd be liable TO kill s
hundred men instead of one, replied the doc
tOk. 2io iniEUs De lie very one 10 SIrSSaC
the smallpox all through this region. On,
unvaccinated man is q constant menace. The
only safe way is for me TO obey orders and
zee that everybody is vaccina;ed.n
A few weeks later Dr.. Dean was ordered
to taks his station at point where a ulucI
Travelled road through the woods crossed the
boundary between Maine and Canada The
Capadian Pacific had gangs at work in Maine
and many men were going back and forth
ACROSS tho border. A log cabin was built for
tho Doctors accommodation, 4 turnpike eat
was pot up, and no man was allowed 10 pa
without fffst having bsred his arm
The cabin was furnished with a STOW,
bunln and . few necessary pieces of turn:
tme, and was well stocked with provision
A young man known as Dan was engaged
stay with the doctor as his cook and compar
ion, and he also had the company Of s larc
ussti6 s1d two las scciAh.e friends, q "a
Of HAeA
Tho cabin stood In the midst OF den.s
forrest, h which were many wild animals; tho
nearest human neigrbors were the men In a
railroad camp. twenty miles away. The
trout which abounded IL a stream that