, 1892-11-16
H0TBED OF DISEASE.
Cause Of the Spread Of Small
pOX.

Application TO the state board of
Health for ASsistance--COndi-
tiOn OF Affairs in the Great
Northern Camps.
Mr.. f. L. Brown, of Edmonds, Snohmish
county, member of the board of coma
missioners, of that county, was in the city
yesterday to see what could be done by the
state board of health to suppress or con-
troll the smallpox epidemic now raging in
the railroad camps on the Great Northern.
In stating the case to DR.. Geo. S. Arm
strong, secretary of the board, a condition
of affairs was revealed that may excite the
apprehension of people living in Olym-
pia.
Men employed on the Great Northern
have contracted this dreadful disease and
are permitted to lay about the camp. thus
exposing others to the contagion. No
pest house has been established in which
to place patients of this kind. The com
pany's physician visits the camps in turn
but can do little to check the spread of the
pestilence because of the exposures. EN-
ployes are leaving that neighborhood
ee't' SetAA AAAH bhO oAldllpO4 OIL IN QlUer-
ent parts OF the state. This accounts for
the breaking out of smallpox in different
sections between which there is no i'm
mediate connection. There are about 30
cases among the camps, aud they are being
cared for under conditions that place the
principal cities in imminent danger of the
disease
The cases in the camps are not under the
jurisdiction OF any local board of health or
of the state board. The county commits
sloners have no power in the premises.
Indeed 1t seems that the powers of the
state are of no avail, owing to the pecu-
llarlty OF the surroundings.
The only hope of relief lies through the
railroad company employing the men.
! Each man is assessed 81 per month hy the
| company to pay for medical and hospital
attendance in case of sickness, and there
IS feellng that the company should take
better care OF the smallpox patients.
The commissioners of Snohomish county
are willing, so Mr.. Brown states, to paw
the expenses of physician if the com
pany Will provide hospital accommoda-
tions for the smallpox victims.
This morning Captain Brown, of the
state board, left for Seattle to consult with
Judge Burke, the legal representative of
the Great Northern, to see what could be
done about the matter. The only feasable
scheme to prevent the railroad men from
| scattering out over the state is to hold
back their pay for six weeks. A difficulty
lies IN the way of this plan in the fact that
the road expects to be through work in
Snohomlsh county on the 25th of this
month, and will then discharge large
number of employees.
Smallpox has broken out in Seattle, Ia
coma, Ellensburgh, San Juan island Sno-
homish, Lowell, Sultan and Index. a man
died at Chehalis last night from the same
disease. So long as the cases are developed
] wit no lfn,ff s -
they can be sent to pest house. the dis
ease can be kept from spreading.
The great danger is in the exposed pa
tients in the railroad camps.
No cases have yet broken out in Olym-
pia, but there is no telling how many of
the Great Northern employees have passed
through here.
The smallpox is supposed to have been
taken into the Great Northern camps bv
men from Victoria.