Evening star., 1896-07-20
SMALLPOX AT KEY WEST
Official Reports of the soourge Now Pre-
vailing.
Marine Hospital Service Lends Aid
to the State Officials to Check
the Disease.

ports" the official publication of the ma
rine hospital service. indicates that the
smallpox outbreak at Key West, Fla, has
assumed serious proportions. Under date
of June so DR.. Joseph Y. Porter. state
health officer Of Florida, wrote as follows
to Surgeon General Wyman:
'In regard to the appearance Of small
pox at this place, am unable at the pres
ent time to trace the source of the disease.
Careful inquiry just now falls to connect
the cases with Havana or Cuba, either In
individuals themselves or through baggage
Of passengers. The cases as far as found
have been among the colored Bahama pop
ulation. and with the exception of an in
FAINT male. the female sex have been the
sufferers.
There has been quite a number of cases
Of varicella among white children during
the past months. amounting to almost
mild epidemic. l saw a case two months
ago in a mulatto boy quite plainly recog-
nizable. DR.. Sweeting and DR.. Guiteras. l
am informed. have both seen cases OF this
eruptive disease in both black and white.
but to last Wednesday, oath instant. they
assure me that they had seen nothing that
they could diagnoSticate as variola.
1.-The clses that have discovered are To-
Gated in different sections of the city. and
with but one exception in the colored quar-
ter OF the town, and are all Of the negro
tcre Of this outbreak Is that all Of til.
cases when discovered could be designated
as old ones;' that is to say. with the stage
of ves'culation and pustulation well devel-
ored. and ranging from the ninth day of
the disease. calculating from the period of
initial fever. to the thirt;eth day. when des-
quamatfon was nearly completed Again.
these cases are located in q dense center of
negro population. with houses closely pack
ed together. with no restrictions on COM
munication, and an environment inviting a
rapid spread: yet 1 have only discovered
six cases, with detective force employed to
aid me. That the case which died on the
18th and the woman now sick on Thomas
street have unm;stakable variola 1 think
there can be no doubt. at least there was
no disagreement between DR.. Guiteras, DR..
Sweeting and myself on the subject: ne;th-
er Is there any doubt in my mind now
about the other cases. although at first
visit the case Of the infant boy admitted OF
some dispute Ohe case being mild. with no
temperature) until his sister was seen.
which cleared up all doubt. Upon discov-
ertnS the cases, isolation with guards over
the premises. was Immediately enforced,
and the matter promptly reported to the
municipal authorities. requesting action in
removing the cases and Segregating the ex-
posed. In the absence of a pest house on
the island or tents to use in this way this
isolation had to be enforced at the homes
OF the sick An effort was made by me to
procure tents from the United States bar
racks at this place. which, at first granted,
was the next day refused by the War De
partment. 1t was intended to use the two
hospital and two wall tents for which re-
quest had been made of the military for a
nucleus for a camp until added to and en-
iarged when those loaned by YOU should
arrive. The municipal government Of Key
west was Immediately apprised of the
gravity of the situation and appealed to
LOT both moral and physical cooperation
with the state health authority in meas
Gres 70 prevent spread Of smallpox. and
especially asked to pass and enforce an or
dirance of compulsory vaccination The
ordinance was passed on its first reading
this morning.
Il have placed a surveillance over travel
from Key West to the extent that passeng-
ers must exhibit either satisfact tory evidence
or vaccinat ton or be vaccinated before TAX
ing passage on any of the steamers or sail
vessels, and the baggage of second-class
passengers or those not exempted on the
face OF the certificate will be left at Tampa
bay quarantine station for sterilization
This requirement is being observed by the
agents Of the steam and sail lines
The weather is hot and dry and 1t is
hoped may prove potent factor in aiding
the suppression and prevention of a spread
of the disease
In response to a request from Dr. Porter
for tents in which to isolate the suspects
and for the detail of an officer of the sery-
Ice to assist him. twenty-five tents were
shipped and Passed Assistant Surgeon J.
III. White. NJ. H. s., was ordered to Key
west 10 assume charge OF the isolation
camp and to cooperate with the state au-
thorities In the suppression of the out
break.
Under date of July DR.. G. NJ Guiteras
of the service wrote from Key West that
there had been so far but one fatal case
The body was wrapped In sheets soaked
IN btchloride of mercury solution, placed
IN tarred coffin and inferred in the ceme-
tefJ by employees of the board of health
No new focus Of the disease had been dis
covered since tho appearance of the first
three cases. He inclosed a COPY If an
ordinance passed by the board of commits
sioners of the municipality Of the city of
Key West. relative to compulsory vaccina-
tion.
This ordinance imposes a fine of from s.
to 300, or imprisonment for from five to
ten days, for violatiors.
Five days later DIR. Guiteras reported as
follows: Up to and including July =, there
have been twenty-four cases OF the disease
three of which have resulted fatally In
the past two days two cases have been
found in part of the town hitherto un-
infected. All foci of infection are being
guarded. Compulsory vaccination Is being
rapidly pushed. The state board of health
Will commence today the construct ton of
a pesthouse in the outskirts Of the CITY.
The disease seems to be spreading very
slowly. and 1t is hoped that it may not as