Evening star., 1895-06-13
THE DANGER Is PAST
Quarantine Against Staunton, Va,
to Be Raised.
PROGRESS OF The SMALLPOX
Curious Origin Of the Loathsome
Epidemic.
VISIT TO TIL @ A NJ P
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
STAUNTON, Va, June II, 1895.
The traveller arriving at this place, unless
| he knew about it before, never would i'm
agine that it was a point against which
| the small towns around had established
shotgun quarantine, and advertised the
| fact far and wide that here is epidemic
of smallpox. AS to the fact, there is lot
| doubt about it, any more than there is
that the same disease is prevalent in the
Ohio valley from tine vicinity of Pittsburg
to below Louisville! There is this differ
ence, that whereas the people in the Ohio
valley towns, and among American cities
generally, are too used to smallpox in
| quantity to bother about it, the like con-
ditions in the valley Of Virginia have pro-
duced panic and fear. often combined with
seasonable cramps and summer complaint.
No Reason for Quarantine.
I have been given the fullest opportuni-
| ties to investigate the history and present
status of this local afiiiction by the munich
| pal and health authorities. I have exam
ined the infected" district and visited the
smallpox hospital camp. There is not the
slightest reason that l can see to uuaran-
tine against Staunton any more than
there is to quarantine against Cincinnati,
Wheeling. or any other place where small
pox is known 10 exist.
Such a view does no1 alter the fact that
a man going from this place to any point
In the country hereabouts Is pretty certain
TO be sent back under guard.
The outside world can hardly imagine the
situation in This wealthy and attractive
southern city. Occupying the most advan-
tageous position in the valley of Virginia
with tributary country of remarkable
agricultural and industrial resources and
productions, the mere fiat of a few small
communities has paralyzed business. left
the loaded shelves of the warehouses dead
on the hands of the merchants and made
the lately replete hotel registers look as
thin as tennis jacket in January Rival
towns allege that there has been a want
of disposition here to adopt the scientific
mes MS successfully used of late in the
cases of like eIidemics; but, whether there
be anything in that or not, 1t must be plain
to the visiting investigator that a great
deal has been done here in the way of or
sanitation and remedially, both by the au-
thorities and the medical faculty and that
the net result is a condition of protection
today.
Rise of the Epidemic.
The genesis Of the current scourge Is
peculiar. A matter of eighteen months ago
two colored citizens of Staunton had diff
Guilty of an erotic nature. One of the rivals
shot several charges from an ordinary
everyday American bulldog pistol at his
compatriot The citizen who was shot at
departed, leaving no one to appear against
his antagonist, who hence remained un-
molested. Now, It trapspired that the
party of the second part wended his way
to Kentucky, where in the course of the
seasons he unconscously contracted the
smallpox. and returned with the same to
this county. Being of forgiving nature
he first sought the company and the cabin
Of the gentleman who had made a target
of him, and spent the first night of his
home coming with his late opponent. The
aggressor In the shooting scrape took the
smallpox. which his forgiving friend had
transplanted from Kentucky, and died Of
it: and that originated the epidemic.
Since the outbreak of the disease in and
about Staunton there have been 100 cases
and twenty-six suspects The deaths have
been eight in the city and one in the
county. 1t Is possible that there may be
one more death, although, today, the only
patient regarded as in critical condition
is on the mend. All of the patients are
oamped on picturesque knoll about a
mile outside Of the corporate limits.
At the Smallpox Camp.
This afternoon the chairman of the sani-
tary committee of the common council in
vited me to inspect the smallpox camp
We drove toward it, through the negro d.
vision OF the city, where the disease had
broken out This locality consists of one
long street, which formerly was lined with
shacks" or cabins. Now, nothing but the
chimneys are standing the houses having
been burned by order of the board Of
health.
A few minutes brought US clear of the
corporation and in sight of the epidemic
camp, on the highest point of which a
large yellow flag was fiuttering in the
breeze. Armed guards halted us at the
foot of the hill. around which the road
the headquarters of DR.. Catlett, the sur
geon in charge, who courteously conduct
ed around the position. Today he had
ninety people in the camp, of whom twen-
ty-siX were suspects, entitled to discharge
on Saturday; thirty-seven cured, who
to be turned loose tomorrow, and the re-
mainder convalescent all but one.
The city of Staunton has certainly done
noble work in caring for its unfortunate
sick. The camp is composed of a series Of
neat barracks well ventilated, with kitch-
ems and outhouses. furnished with neces-
sary cooking and other facilities. No one
would suppose that he was in hospital
camp. The inmates were moving around
visiting among themselves, and was told
that less than dozen were confined to
quarters. While we were looking around
the Hospital Banjo and Mandolin Club ad-
vised us that they were prepared to give
a concert for cur behalf. We attended a
very creditable open-air performance the
artists being convalescent patients. In the
suspect quarters, segregated from the
rest, there was service Of song" going
on, and all around the families interned
were washing clothes, drying them on lines,
or cooking In the open air kitchens near
their barracks. Instead of being dismal
1t was a very jolly scene.
Among the inmates were lot of impe-
cunious darkies, who had been declared
cured and free. They were actually weep
ing over the prospect of being expelled
from the camp, with its free quarters, pro-
vender and congenial associations.
City Free From Smallpox.
All the smallpox here is confined to that
camp. The city proper is as free from
anything of the kind as the White House
is. The large schools of the place. includ-
ing Mrs. Jeb Stuart's Episcopal Seminary
and Mrs. Baldwin's Presbyterian School,
are running without regard to the scare,
and so are all the other institutions. plants
and establishments of the community In
fact, one may say that every prospect
pleases, and only man is vile;;" man" be-
ing represented by the bucolic brother with
the shotgun, who refuses to allow anybody
from Staunton to eatoY his village.
The present condition of confidence has
not been reached without a good deal of
friction, and the manifestation of activities
on the part of the divergent elements which
always constitute municipal life. At the
outset of the epidemic Gov Frank Brown
of Maryland and his distinguished secre-
tary of the state board Of health, DIR. Stew
art, urged upon the people and authorities
Of Staunton that they should utilize the
III