Evening star., 1894-11-21
THE QUARANTINE STATION
Burying Those Who Died of the Small
The LabOrers in q Pretty Constant
State of Fear-Nced of q New &
Hospital and Station. .,,,.-~
po1.

The appearance Of the smallpox In this
city has more than demonstrated the ne
cessity for a contagious hospital and quar-
antine station, as well as for some strin-
gent laws relating to the quarantine. For
tunately for the residents Of this city.
Health Officer Woodward has taken every
precaution imaginable and has used heroic
measures In his treatment Of the cases
of smallpox and varioloid, and 1t Is due to
his efforts. so many physicians say. that
the disease did not become epidemic and
do more damage than 1t has already done.
In the matter of closing the schools the
health officer was very prompt, and not
only did he close the buildings, but he
had them thoroughly fumigated In order
that any germs In them might be killed
and the lives of the children protected.
In cases Of varioloid the same stringent
rules were applied in genuine cases of
smallpox, and the inspectors were called
upon to diagnose many case, the symp-
toms of which were nothing like those
of smallpox. In the houses where the
patients were kept watchmen guarded and
are still on duty, day and night, to pre-
vent the possibility of spreading tho dis
ease.
while it is hoped there will not be any
more cases, the Williams children may
possibly have infected several persons. and
the incubation period will not expire for
When the disease broke out here there
was no quarantine station, nor were there
sny quarantine laws to amount to any
thing. but what little law existed was
utilized.
Fortunately, most of the victims went
voluntarily to the hospital and this pre-
vented the spreading to some extent and
assisted the authorities in stamping out
the disease. .'
A Quarantine Station. '.'... =
When DR.. Woodward saw that an epi-
demic was threatened he at once set out
to get a quarantine station and with the
assistance of Poundmaster Einstein little
one-story dwelling near the workhouse was
obtained. Besides this, there was a large
stable on the ground. and 1t took but
short while to out up temporary struct-
ure for a disinfecting plant. With the
buildings erected the necessary help, ply
sicfans and laborers were soon obtained
and good quarantine service was soon
In operation. The laborers employed were
all colored men and with apparently little
to do they anticipated a good time. They
knew they would get plenty of good food
and felt reasonably certain that the supply
of whisky would come with 1t, but much to
their surprise 1t was, as they called it.
dry job" To some of them this proved
drawback. but instead of doing without
their toddy they visited some saloons or
got whisky in some way. but they had
to pay for 1t themselves. For a time this
was all right and they did not complain.
But when one of their number was taken
sick feeling Of uneasiness crept over
them and their desires were such as were
calculated to lead them from the station.
They soon got over this scare however,
and all was well until there was a death
In the little hospital in the poorhouse
graveyard.
Then their duties changed from an occa-
sional ride through the city on a wagon
nd diper fhntr obo
In their headquarters to grave digging and
carrying the dead to their last resting
places. and this came near causing q
wholesale desertion.
A GruesOme Scene.
The burial Of one of the dead ones was
to take place in Congressional cemetery,
and was arranged so as to occur after sun
down, when the friends of these in the city
of the dead had all departed, and when
the little funeral procession would cause
no alarm. ..-. e. -..-.s
DR.. O'Malley had charge of the funeral.
The men from the quarantine station were
to accompany him. Attired in their rubber
suits the men started from the dead house
with the corpse. The night was cold and
the wind was blowing a gale. As the wagon
moved over the road the doctor and colored
men. with lanterns in hand, walked along,
presenting an appearance calculated to
cause fear to the superstitious ones who
lived on the commons in sight Of them.
The colored men objected a little, but the
body was fir ally deposited in the grave,
and the funeral party returned Buck
Parker, one of the colored men, made Dr.
O'Malley feel a little timid by telling him
of some experiences in the same neighbor-
hood during the epidemic of 1873.
Just there in that clump of bushes"
said the colored man. I'VE had q strange
experience. A man had escaped from the
hoSnital and w fOnnd him bar do
In the snow. He had stripped himself
while delirious. and was covered with
blood from wounds made by the bushes"
When this story was finished. the party
proceeded, and before the hospital was
reao he'd the news of the death of another
patient arrived. This death meant a fun
eral in potter's field. and 1t also meant
more trouble with the men, Then one of
the colored men openly declared he would
leave.
Il amt scared" he told the doctor. but
Use got to leave on count of puss'nal cir
cumStanceS."
DIR. O'Malley was then in a decidedly un-
enviable position. He was there alone 30
far as other doctors were concerned, and
wholesale desertion on the part Of the
Colored men meant j great deal to him
He was puzzled to know just what to do
Finally, 1t dawned upon him that treat
might cause the graveyard scene to fade
away from their memories, and once more
they would be satisfied With such an
a quart of "od rye" and In a short time
the men would have willingly buried both
the live and dead occupants of the little
hospital.
At the Station.
DR.. O'Malley is now hack In the dirh-
liberia and scarlet fever work, and several
of the laborers have beer relieved.
While in the smallpox service DR.. O'Mal-
ley and DIR. Elliott were required t. remain
at the quarantine station when they were
not actually in the service and many nights
of loneliness we're experienced. In the doc
tors headquarters there are two rooms.
In the front room a stove, table and two
chairs filled all the space, leaving no room
for visitors, although they were seldom
troubled with guests. The rear room con-
tains two cots, wash stand and chair
and only one person can dress in there at a
time.
The colored mems quarters are more COM
modious, for in this building the cooking
is done, and the large stove used for this
purpose warns the building in the coolest
weather. Around the whole outfit Is a
small wire fence. and su,allDOx flags ON ha