The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-11-06
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
endeavoring to recite them he floundered
about and clutched at his words desper-
ately and awkwardly, and made but a
poor appearance. One could not help
smiling at the tall, clumsy, blushing fell
low. But he worked at some of the prob
lens that discouraged the rest of us
with stubborn courage that enabled him
more than once to surprise us and put us
to shame. Thorough" seemed to be his
motto.
He took his degree of NJ. d. with
honors, and soon afterward we heard that
he had been appointed a United States
Medical Inspector on the Maine frontier.
He entered upon his official duties in
1885, the year of the memorable small
pox epidemic which in Montreal and the
surrounding villages ragged destructively
among the French Canadians. With al
most incredible fanaticism, thousands of
these people refused to be vaccinated.
They declared that to vaccinate was to
oppose the Divine will. God had sent la
pic0tte, and to try TO prevent its spread
was wicked. The Canadian health of
ticials, 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 inn
possible TO check the epidemic.
The American health officials estab-
lished rigid system of inspection along
the Canadian 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 Doctor Dean was directed to
make a tour of the logging camps in the
Moosehead Lake region, and TO vaccinate
every man in their crews whose arm did
not show n fresh scar. Among these
loggers were many ignorapt, lawless fel-
lows, some of whom had the stupid pre-
judice against vaccination which had led
the French people across the border to
resist the efforts of the Canadian doctors.
Their employers and the foremen, how
ever, were heartily in sympathy with the
work of the surgeon, and did their best
to compel their men TO submit to his
I'm ,.f
Dean encountered French Canadian
called Pierre Couteau, who was unusually
obstinate, and showed vicious temper
in his opposition to the doctors pur-
pose to vaccinate him. He was huge
fellow with black beard, and great
red scar on his forehead
'Its of no use for you to hang Off
you've got to have the job done, said
Dixon, the boss of the camp.
"NoW answered Pierre, crisply and
doggedly.
"Don't make any fuss about it'll Roll
up the sleeve of your frock!" ordered
Dixon.
DR.. Dean took a step toward the Can,
adian.
"NoH Hgrowled the fellow, with an omin-
ous emphasis, at the same time gIasping
his axe as if to strike. His eyes flashed,
the scar on his forhead grew redder, and
he fairly bristled with determination.
Dixon was furiously angry and burst
into torrent of profane exclamations.
''Leave this camp and don't you ever
come back, you brute!" he cried. "WC
don't want any murderers herel"
Pierre muttered few words in his ma.
tive patios, flashed a defiant look at the
foreman, dropped his axe with a scorn,
full gesture, and turned to go away.
In a second DIR. 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 to hold the man down.
"rhrottle the scoundrel!' exclaimed
the excited foreman.
"No," said the doctor, coolly, "pm
going to vaccinate him"
A friendly wood-chopper happened to
come along. He helped Dixon to hold
down the struggling, curslng, frothing
man, while Doctor Dean cut away his
frock 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
Canadian jumped up, flung back an
angry threat at the doctor, took hi,
small pack of clothing, and still
breathing vengeance, strobe away fron
the camp.
~ dunno; / guess you made a mis-
take, said Dixon.
"WhylN asked the doctor,
THAT critter Is liable to kill you He's
bad one rather think 'twould have
been better to let him 90 without trying
TO vaceinate him.
III I'd let him 90 he'd bs liable to