Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-07-27
Smallpox Is and Has Been Here
Some Time.
VERDICT OF THE MEDlCoS
Reached at Meeting 10 the Commercial Club
Last kight-Some Physicians Con-
denim DR.. Saunders Statement.

it was decided unanimously thai the pres
ent eruptive di2ease prevailing in this city
is smallpox beyond the peradventure of
a doubt. The following resolution, adopt
ed without a dissenting vote, just before
adjournment was taken, conveys the
opinion reached by the physicians after
full discussion:
Resolved, Thar the Jefferson County
Medical society, as the county board of
health, proclaim that the disease erup-
tive in character now prevailing is small
pox, and should b. so created"
The above card as explained by Dr..
Robinson, who offered ID, is to warn the
people and to awaken them to the i'm
por.ance Of taking every step to stamp
out the disease bsfore the coming OF
winter
None of the doctors expressed the least
doubt about the disease now agitating the
public, being continent smallpox, pure
and simple, and DR.. Saunders asserted
that .here were some of the most agr
gravated cases in the pest house he ever
saw.
Those doctors who it is alleged have
been negligent in reporting cases were
severely censured, and many prominent
physicians strongly advocated house 20
house inspection and a system of compul-
sorry vaccination to go into effecs at once
under police supervision.
HEAlIlf1 GIdAIMlG1EE . ttEf fOIOl.
Probably more than ona hundred prom
inent physicians and business men were
present when the meeting was called 10
order by President Dr. D. f. Talley.
1t was moved and carried that all e.
uar business be dispensed with and the
report of DR.. Sholl the chairman of the
committee of health, be heard.
Said DR.. Sholl: This morning at a.
meeting of the committee of health in
my office it was decided that it be proper
to make a report of our stewardship"
He reviewed the plans and measures that
had been adopted. According to his
knowledge but two cases had been re-
ported since last May until last Friday.
He explained that some cases were mild
In type, but that the lesser case should
be judged by the greater or typical ones.
DIR. Sholl compfimented the acting
mayor and the board of aldermen for
their cheerful services and stated that
camp of detention had been prepared
and that the suspects and fully developed
cases would be separated, the suspected
being detained twelve days awaiting
further symptoms.
He declared that vaccination was very
necessary and would be made compulso-
ry at the expiration of nine days Ac-
cording to the doctors report there are
now twenty-seven cases in the pest
house, two having been carried to the
mountain Sunday and enc yesterday. No
deaths have resulted so far and Mr.. Iveyt
is recovering.
Said the chairman in conclusion: IF
it is i'm the power of law and human skin
and by the grace of God. we will stamp
, this disease out before winter, Any
man who avails himself of vaccination
can walk the streets of Birmingham with
as much safety as he can New York. =
DR.. Robinson moved to adopt the re-
port, but the president stated that 1t was
open for discussion. ser
TRACED TO PENSACOLA.
DIR. Saunders, the state health officer,
was the first speaker. His remarks We're
made doubly interesting from the fact.
that he traced back the origin of the
eruptive disease in Alabama and explain
ed every symptom as had been obserV; q
by him in treating different cases. The
first cases that came to his knowledge
were four or five at FIT. Deposit probably
two moaths ago. lie explained the cases
thoroughly. and could not go before the
people of Alabama and call It, conscianti-
ously, other than smallpox. The people
of Ft. Deposit asserted that the disease
had been brought there from Greenvile,
arlj this caused him to visit the last
named town. Here he also found several
persons stricken with an eruptive maiady
which he at once diagnosed is smallpox.
The next place to be visited by the dis
ease was Evergreen.
Dr. Saunders Thought the disea Sc had
been imported to these towns along the
louisville and Ma shville railroad from
Pensacola, F'!a4, where the disease had
been prevalent for a year or more The
disease was traced from Pensa cola to
within short distance of GreenVille. aud
also to Evergreen. The disease ragged
there sonre weeks before the doctors took
cognizance of it, A negro preacher as
sisted in nursing a number of the suf-
ferers and then went to Bullock courty
before the eruptfons were perceptibla on
him The preacher died and there was
only one other case thanks to the Wig
i,ance of the doctors. Before he died he
told the physicians that If the malady was
smallpox he contracted II at Evergreen.
The physicians communicated with thair
brother members of the profession at
Evergreen and fer days they denied the
existence of the disease
He was next informed that there were
some suspects at Carbon Hill. On ar
irving ct that place h's found ten cases in
the "pest house" Amorg this number ne
found one tynical case and also mulatto
woman who had q very mild attack, wi h
not more than twelve eruptions on her
person. He mentioned this to prove that
the disease was often in a very mild
form. but was neverth alass smallpox
The origin of these cases were traced to
Memphis. where tfiare were numerous
cases reported By the health officers
A WARNING.
In this connec ion he mentioned a
white lady who contracted the malady
from mulatto woman who laundered
the clothes for the family. He took oc-
casion to impress the nect ssity of watch
ing closely and knowing the condition
of the negroes who performed this SER
vice.
In three weeks after his first visit Dr.
Saunders stated ihat the disease was an
tirely eXterminated at Fort Deposit
When the people found out 1t was small
pox they kept out of the way and the dis
ease died out for want of material
He also mentioned case at Brewton
where a lady caught the disease it was
supposed from her husband, who worked
on the louisville and Nashville railroad
with gang of negroes.
SITUATION IN BIRMINGHAM.
The doc,or reviewed the situation here
as observed in person since a week. be.
fore last Saturday, when he first arrived.
and pronounced the disease smallpox
Said he. eff had been compelled to de-
aa.ad car nil a L