The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-23
A NEEDLESS SCARE
No Fear of a Smallpox
Epidemic.
ONE BRAVE FRENCH WOMAN.
The Cases All From One House and
Now EsoIated-A Vaccinator'S
Busy Day.

There are now four cases of smallpox at
the Pesthouse, and it is confidently antici-
pated by the medical authorities that this is
the limit of the extension of the disease
All four cases came from one source, and that
source las been located, isolated and the
fullest sanitary precautions taken.
The fourth case WAS that of Charley
Reed. the cDlOred cook, who has been car
rvirg messages from Richie, the sailor. to
Nellie Reynolds, the inmate of the lodging
house at 81 Montgomery avenue, where the
disaster broke out. Richie is conValescent
and is expected to be discharged from the
Pesthouse in a few days Nellie Reynolds,
his associate, has the disease in the con-
1iuent form, but her sister, Belle, has very
mild attack. Charley Reed is stated by DR..
Ssmuels to have a severe form of the
malady.
TIE clearinghouse at 231 Montgomery
avenue, where Richie was taken sick, is
under the management of Miss Julie Urrere,
a French lady, who only took possession
about TWO months ago. The place is on the
corner of Broadway and is liable to be
pa,rouized by all sorts and conditions of
men and women.
At the same time it is as respectfully con-
Quoted as circumstances and surroundings
III permit 1ltTC aI6 many lOuHlnR-npuseS
in the more fashionable quarters of the
city which are not half as clean or as well
kept Most Of the furniture and fittings are
new, and the distinction OF the premises
was tie more easily accomplished because
numerous windows allowed a free circula-
ton of air after the operation was COM
pleted
The work of dsinfection has been so
thorough that the smell of chlorine gas
i =, l..
four hours after the work had been COM
ppted.
Miss Urrere is disc0nsolate over the
affair, Tor of her tWenty-four dodgers all
save one has departed. There remains
nothing but empty rooms with open doors
ana an all perYading smell of chemicals.
The solitary lGdger who holds the fort is
q pretty little French woman. with AL the
bravery and fidelity of her race. ana she,
ike Miss Urrere, is newcomer, seeking
an honest livelihood as a nurse.
Both the women broke out into torrent
Of explanations and cOnjectures when
asked about Richie, Nellie Reynolds and
the cooks visits. They were absolutely
unable to say anything more than that
Richie came TO the house, engaged "A room
and became IN some way acquainted with
the two girls.
Every window in the clearinghouse was
found wide open and every bed had clean
linen on il. Nevertheless Miss Urrere fears
n
jury and, like Rachel, refuses to be COM
forted.
It is manifest, however. that there is no
fear Of an extension of the disease in the
clearinghouse itself The precautions have
been ample, and the place is model of
cleanliness. The idea seems TO be that
Richie had the disease Tor several days be-
fore il was recognized and that the women
contracted it from HIM at the lodging
house and the cook at the Pesthouse
whittier he was conveyed two weeks ago.
1 he scare had one good effect. 1t stirred
up number OF parents in the Latin quar-
ter, aud yesterday they went in a body with
Their little ones to tie Board of Health of
ice in the new City Hall to have the little
ones yaccinated.
mighty interesting time. In the general
way OF business he expects twenty-five
children a day, bat yesterday the quarters
were filed with squaliing youngsters Of all
ages, from 3 months to years
The curious feature about the exhibition
was that the two-yeRr-olds made the loud
est outcry, Boys and girls of 5 or years
old looked calmly al the Yaccinator while
the cuts we're being made in their arms and
the lymph mixed with the trickling blood.
The babies screamed just little bit but
tie two-year-Olds raised an cutlery which
could be heard far away in the corridors
1t was not only the child operated On that
yelled; the others squalled in sympathy
Of the innocents were in progress.
Dr. Harry O'Donnell is prepared for a
big rush in consequence of the scare, but
evidently thinks that the worst is over and
that there is no fear of the disease spread
Ing through the city.