The morning call., 1893-04-22
MORE SMALLPOX.
Two Other Cases Found in
a Lodging-House.
Health Office Employees Pit In a Big
Days Work Fumigating-Doct
at Variance.

Two weeks ago Charles Richie. a sailor,
living at the lodgng-house at 231 Mont
gomery avenue, was found suffering
from smallpox, and was removed to the
Pesthouse.
On Thursday last woman named Nellie
Reynolds. with whom he had friendly,
was stricken down with the disease at the
same lodgings.
When the health officers went to the place
yesterday TO remove her to the Pesthouse
they made the startling discovery that a
third case had broken out. The victim was
a woman, and though she gave her name as
Belle johnson, it was discovered that she
and Nellie Reynolds, alias Rogers, were
sisters. Nellie is % years old and Belle 80.
Both women stoutly refused to be re-
moved, and for four hours Inspectors Baehr
and Koeger sought to persuade them to so.
DR.. Keeney finally induced them to enter
the ambulance, and they we're driven off TO
the PrsthOuse. Nellie has the disease pretty
BADLY, but Bellies case is a mild one.
When Richie, the sailor, was removed,
seven inmates Of the house were vaecnated,
Nellie among them. Bnt she had been a
confirmed morphine fead, and her arms
were so covered with sores from the
pnnciures OF the syrnge-needle that the
vaccination had to be performed on one of
her limbs. Il is possible that The state of
her blood prevented the vaccine from taking
effect. At any rate she contracted the
disease.
Right here there is a case of doctors dis
agreeing quite badly. DR.. Samuels, who is
an appointee of the City Physician, is in
charge of the PesthOuse, aud the negro
cook, Charles Reed. had been in the habit
of leaving the lazarettO daily with the doe
tors permission. His clothes were not
fumigated, as he was supposed not to be
brought in contact with the patients, but he
carried letters from Richie TO the girl
Reynolds at the lodging-hOuSe almost daily.
DIR. Samuels says emphatically that Nellie
could not have contracted tile disease from
Reed carrying it in his clothes, while DR..
Keeney is equally positive that this was the
way II was transmitted.
There are eighteen rooms in the lodging
house, and during the four hours of their
stay the health inspectors fumgated every
one of them.
DR.. Keeney says he has no fear of an ex-
tension of The disease, but as an additional
precauton the calored cook has been made
ward attendant at the Posthouse, and this
will subject him to fumigatiOn if lie wants
to leave the building at all. q new cook
has been detailed.
Il don't know whether there is any law
against employees at the Pesth0use leaving
the building and returning, as the c0lOTed
cook has DONE" said DR.. Keeney yesterday,
but in my opinion that was the way the
vas Sat4tou' anu u, tNiS tiiIIs sHOuiu
not have been allowed. The City Physician
IS responsible for the management of the
Pesthouse, and is responsible TO the city
authorities. l am responsible TO the State
and You may rely on it have taken care of
my side OF the matter"
Il have not looked up the law on the SUBJ
Jeci, said City aud County Attorney Cres-
well, when in Interviewed yesterday abont the
question of employees at the Pesthouse
being allowed to go around as the cook
Red had done. But" said he, ''if there
isn't trouble about 1t there ought to be-"