Evening journal., 1889-12-05
A BRAVE DOCTOR.


and clutched at his words desperately and
awkwardly, 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 a stubborn courage that en-
abled him more than once to surprise us and
put us to shame. Thorough seemed to be
MS motto.
He took his degree OF M. D. with honors.
and soon afterward we heard that be had
been appointed a United States medical Ia.
spector on the Maine frontier.
He entered upon his official duties In 1885.
the year Of the memorable smallpox epi.
dcmic, which in Montreal and the surround
ing villages ragged destructiyely among che
French Canadians. With almost incredible
fanaticism, thousands of these people refused
70 be vaccinnted. 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
yaccinated were flercely 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 esta ablished a
rigid system of inspection along the Cana
dian border and required that all passengers
on railroad trains coming from Canada
should be fumigated- Surgeons with the
necessary appliances were stationed at the
railroad stations and on the wood roads and
forest trails leading across the boundary to
vaccinate all people arriving from Canada
who had not already been vaccinated.
Young DR.. Dean was directed to make
tour Of the logging camps in the Moosehead
lake region, and to vaccinate every man in
their crews whose arm did not show a fresh
scar. Among these loggers were many ignor-
ant, lawless 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 tho work Of
the surgeon, and did their best to compel
their men to submit to his lancet.
In one Of these camps DR.. Dean encountered
a French Canadian called Pierre Couteau.
who was unusually obstinate and showed
vicious temper in his opposition to the doc
tors purpose to vaccinate him. He was
huge fellow with black beard, and a great
red scar on his forehead.
'It's Of no use for you TO hang otf-you've
got to have the job done, said Dixon, the
boss Of the camp.
Mop answered Pierre, crisply and dog
gedly.
Don't make any fuss about it! Roll M
the sleeve Of your frockl" ordered Dixon.
DIR. Dean took step toward the Canadian.
"Nom growled the fellow, with an ominous
emphasis, at the same time grasping his ak
as IL 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
a torrent Of profane exclamations.
Leave this camp, and don't YOU ever come
back, you hruteln he cried "Wedon't want
any murderers hereln
Pierre muttered few words Tn his native
patois, flashed defiant look at the foreman.
dropped his ak with a scornfnl gesture and
turned to 60 away
In second Dr. Dean sprane upon him.
tripped him, threw him to the ground, face
downward and jumped on his back. Dixon
came quickly to his assistance and helped to
hold the man down
Throttle the scoundrell' exclaimed the
excited foreman.
mo- said the doctor. coolly, "I'm going
to vaccinate him."
A friendly wood chopper happened to come
along. He helped Dixon to hold down the
struggling, cursing, frothing man, while DIR. |
Dean cut away his frocs and shirt, criscrossed
his skin with his lancet and rubbed in the |
vaccine. In less than 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, |
and, still breathing vengeance, strobe away |
from the camp
Il dunno; | guess you made mistake, "
said Dixon.
"WhyT asked the doctor
THAT critter Is liable TO kill you. He's o |
bad on0 rather think twould have been /
better 70 lot him go without trying to vacci
nate him.
III I'd let him 60 he'd be liable to kiln a |
hundred men instead Of one, replied the doc /
tor. "He might be the very one TO spread /
the smallpox all through this region. One /
unvaccinated man is constant menace. The 1
only safe way is for me TO obey orders and /
see that everybody is vaccinated.n
few weeks later DR.. Dean was ordered /
10 take his station at a point where a much
travelled road through tho woods crossed the
boundary between Maine and Canada The /
Canadian Pacific had gangs at work in Maine
and many men were going back and fort
across the border. A log cabin was built 10.
the doctors accommodation, a turnpike gate
was put up, and no man was allowed to pas
without first having barred his arm
The cabin was furnished with a stove,
hunks and a few necessary pieces Of furni
ture, and was well stocked with provisions.
A young man known as Dan was engaged 10
stay with the doctor as his cook and compan-
lon, and be also had the company Of a large
mastin and two less sociable friends, a pair
Of rides
The cabin stood IN the midst Of a dense
forest, In which were many wild animals; the
nearest human neighhors were the mon in a
railroad camp, twenty miles away. The
trout which abOunded in a stream that
iowed past the cabin often contributed to the
bill Of fare Of the doctor and his assistant.
Once Dan shot a deer which supplied them
with venison for several weeks. Their table
was at no time scantily furnished; they had
a collection Of books, the air Of the woods was
and they enjoyed their wild
life.
Almost every day men with packs on their
backs came along the road from Canada. and
we're stopped and vaccinated. Sometimes
hey grumbled, but for a long time no one
resisted the doctor outright At night the
TWO young men took turns at watching the
gate. and the traveller over the turnpike TO
Maine, at whatever time he arrived, had to
STOP and be examined
Wsek after week passed, and still the young
men had no serious trouble in the perforul-
'neo y their duties.