Morning journal and courier., 1893-12-25
WITH THE SMALLPOX.

While Suffering with the Dread Dis
Table In a Boston Restaurant for a
Week and at Night Slept in q Room
With Other Women-At Last Taken
10 the Pest Houss-The Restaurant
Closed.
BosToN, Dec. 24-Mary Morrison, while
suffering from smallpox, waited upon Gus
toners in the restaurant at No. 12 Union
Park street during the past week and each
night slept with two other women. Yes
terday morning the girl was taken to the
pest house on Canterbury street.
About two weeks ago Miss Morrison sp-
peared at the restaurant, where she was
given employment as 3 waitress. She was
very rsticent concerning herself and the
only thing that she would say was that her
home was In Nova Scotia and that abe had
q room on Shawmut avenue. After going
to work she roomed over the restaurant.
One week ago last night she was Ill all
night, but was better next day. Sunday
she was again sick and Monday morning Q
doctor was called, who thought abe had
the grip. She told the doctor shs had
been vsccinated.
Tuesday afternoon she went down stairs
to the restaurant and assisted about the
work, alternating between cashier and
waitress until towards evening, when she
again went to her room. Wednesday
morning, Mrs. Mckenzie, the landlady,
noticed several blotches ON the girl's face
and hands, but when she referred to them
the girl Iseemed to resent 1t, 80 little was
said or thought of that.
Miss Morrison worked in the restaurant
all that day still complaining. The raah
appeared more prominent and Mrs. No
kenzie says the girls body was more or
less covered with spots like little sores
When she urged that the doctor be again
called Miss Morrison protested, saying shs
could not afford to pay doctors bills. The
girl thought the rash was caused by the
medicine she had taken. Thursday the
girl worked nearly all day and Friday she
went to the room she occupied on Shaw
NUT avenue.
She was pale and weak and ss she passed
out OF the door q man who lived next door
remarked to Mrs. Mckenzie that the girls
appearance denoted smallpox. The doctor
was again called and pronounced the dis
ease to be smallpox. Then Miss Morrison
confessed that she had not been vsccinsted.
Late Friday night a city physician called,
but he said it was impossible then to de-
termine whether 1t WAS smallpox. Sstur-
day morning another board of health
physician called and unhesitatingly pro-
nounced 1t a case of smallpox. The ambu-
lance WAS Immediately sent for and the
girl was taken to the pest house.
She WAS on duty In the restaurant nearly
all day Friday. When she was told the
nature of her disease she seemed not to
realize the danger. She declined to give
the name of the town In Nova Scotia
whence she came, and was rsticent about an
swering questions asked her by the doctors.
The girl is a relative of the Morrison fam
lily who were afflicted with smallpox some
time ago and who live on Westminster
street. She denied having visited the fam
lily, though 1t Is pretty certain that che had
done go. The house 10 Union Park street
was thoroughly fumigsted by the health
board yesterday and the restaurant has
been closed.
One phase of the Gaze, perhaps, as pit |
liable as the disease itself, Is the extreme |
poverty of the girl. The woman who had |
charge of the restaurant took pity upon
the girl and allowed! her to share her room,
not charging her for rent. When the |
doctors bill was paid and the medicine re-
quired was brought the girl was left near
Iy penniless, and but for the kindhesrted- |
ness of tRis woman and the landlsdy the |
girl might have shared a eadder fate