Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-05-16
KEEP OUT SMALLPOX
The COUNCIL ASKED TO ORDER A
GENERAL VACCINATION HERE. D..
Branch WIN Meet Tonight to Con-
slider It-No Danger In Richmond.

There is no smallpox in Richmond.
Neither is there any within hundred mile
radius OF tins city, vet the disease IS spread
inc in one or two counties in the State and
those in charge of the health OF Richmond
nrc too sagacious not to take every precau-
ton against the infection of this commu-
nifty by this dreaded maiady.
The CITY Boar 4 of Health and the Advi-
sorry Board at 1 meeting Oh saturday agreed
UNANIMOUSLY tbat the Council Committee
on Health should be asked u recommend
to the Council at once t1c reaGOpson
at tue Old ordinance passed some
wears ago. directing that every hody IN
the city should be vaccInnated as
soon AS possible and prescribing that any
adult o. person refusing TO have eihi;
operation performed bs fined 50 except IN
such cases Us duly authorized physician
would assure that no vaccination was ne
cessary OF that the health OF such person
would not perIlitit. Tins measure PROVIDES
that all persons vino have not been vaccl-
mated within the past year shall be vacci-
mated within fifteen days from its passage
by the Council
ASKED TO ACT PROMPTLY.
II has always BEEN the policy of tho
President of the Board or Health, as soon
~ litEt - any ll-ItdstuAI- hdAt-It - AhI
health OF the city. ~ report 1t 20 the Board
OF Health and that body take such action
as II deems necessary and eXpedlent under
existing circumstances. Hence IL was That
the Board and the ADVISORY Board urged the
Committee on lIeaitn TO take the suggest
ed steps as speedily as possible. As
a result TINS latter body convened III
the oince OF Or. Oppcnnlmer at o clock
Yesterday afternoon. and after little dis
cussiou carried out the views OF the two
boards asking that the Common Council
should meet tonight to adopt the ordl-
nance and resolution. which was subse-
uuently agreed to 10y the committee. At
| TINS session there we're present Messrs.
Reeve (chairman). Il. I. and George j..
/ Davis. hing, Vaughan, Grimes, ana Moore.
As soon as the object OF the meeting was
announced DR.. Oppenhimer. as President
of the Board of Health, WAS called upon
TO explain the situation. lie SAID that the
board had taken the action above referred
10 because they deemed II wise 70 properly
/ guard the city against the coming or mo
dreaded disease. and not to VAT untli II
came before any steps were taken. lherc
wns not. he said single case OF small
pox III Richmond, ana u was probable
that there would not be during the coming
year, or for years, but he argued that IL
would be far better To- take the proper pre-
ycntlvcs tGau TO run any rshs
TIE INFECTED REGION.
DR.. Oppenhimer stated that he had lust
returned from the injected reIOn an
had found smallpox 'prcadlng III Mtckl'n
burg and IuuenbuTg counties. lie was
confident tnGt there would be panic IN
those sections, and il Was Out natural -
suppos, hat those fleeing would come 10
Richmond aud Petersburg, where theY
could secure emplo, mcut. He sad he
l l.. g., " Poll. gf Re
burg. TO know what steps were beng
taken III the CocGade CITY, and expected
to hear from HIM night away.
Mr.. Crimes moved that the Old oTdl-
nance be recommended to the Council tor
adoption He thought the prevention was
what the city shou have.
Mr. King remarked that be did not think
| things were In as threatening mood as
had been reported. i.e was under the l.n-
preston that any publication 10 the world
| that Richmond was fighting on smallpox
/ wonld Observation-Disclosures injury t. the city ;
commercial and financial cOnvltlOn. He
was opposed q the compulsory VAGINA
ton lust at this time anyhow. as accord
ING TO the statement OF DR.. Oppenhlmer
smallpox was winter ana not summer
| disease.
Mr.. Grimes stated that from the reports
| from other sections OF Virginia II would
| appear that II was rs lnucn summer as "a
| winter disease. He replied 10 Mr. Ming in
regard to the lattor'5 remarks concerning
the way such reports are exaggerated by
referring 10 a case IN Richmond SIX years
ago when a gentleman died from smallpox
and nothing was known of his Illness until
several DAYS after his death, when three
friends went TO his house To see what ha
become Of him. his simple visit caused
al! three of the visitors to nave the disease
and two of them died. Mr.. Grimes sal1
that he dl1 not believe the stories about
such plagnes were as terrible as they somc-
tines shouId he