Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1897-01-28

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down to investigate, and quarter OF
an hour later he reported that the pesti-
lence was present in virulent form.
In such an emergency as this it would
have been everything to us to feel that
we had a competent physician aboard.
1t might be smallpox or might DO mea-
sizes or the men might be shamming The
three men had eaten heartily at break
fast. proving they had no fever or pre-
monitory symptoms, and the idea Of
smallpox was absurd. DR.. Haxton not
only insisted, but with more feryor
than I had ever known him to use be-
fore. The passengers were terribly
alarmed, as you may imagine, but l
took notice that not single man among
the guards and only two among the crew
appeared to be at all anxious This fact
alone would have satisfied me that it
was an understood thing. l said oil the
passengers were alarmed. l should have
made an exception rs far as the two
young women were concerned. Their
pretense Of alarm was SO transparent
through it.
We had provided no hospital aboard
the bark because the government did
not contract for anything Of the sort.
Epidemics were not counted on or pro-
vided against If one broke out, then
let the doctor do the best he could. II
the convicts died, we'll and good II
they got we'll, they must be turned over
to the officials ut Botany Bay. Odds
was the difference to the government.
The question with us was, lis it real.
~ smallpox" We were not willing to
take the word of the ships doctor for
It, and you can see what situation
that put US in. While yet the alarm
was upon US haskell announced that he
had something to communicate. Con-
victs, guards and sailors knew that he
was faithful to the ship and were on
their guard that he should neither see
nor hear anything He had made some
few discoveries, however, and was sat-
isfied in his own mind that trick was
being played on the doctor, and that the
two young women were cognizant OF it.
In doing his turn below he had got
strong odor Of what he thought was GRO
ton OIL and he suggested that the doc
tor be questioned about it.
Dr. Haxton was Immediately sent for
and asked II any Of the oil mentioned
was included in his medical outfit. He
answered promptly in the affirmative
and went away to fetch the bottle. 1t
was missing. If croton oil be rubbed
upon the face, it will produce blotch
similar to that which appears in the
first stages Of smallpox. He was sure
that he had an eight ounce bottle Of the
stuff, and just as sure that other hands
than his had removed it from the dis
Ptnsary. That settled it with the rest
Of us, but not with the doctor. He be-
came indignant that we should question
the correctness of his diagnosis, and
added that if the patients were not lso-
lated he should not hold himself re-
sponsible for results.
l have said very little concerning our
passengers male or female, because
they were passengers only and had no
part or portion in our discussions and
worriments. Up to the hour they got
word of the sickness below they were
Totally unsuspicious that danger men
aced. When the doctor announced small
pox, something had to be done to allay
the panic The passengers We're assem-
bled in the great cabin, and Captain
Clark plainly told them in the presence
of the doctor that he was not satisfied
that pestilence had appeared. When
sure Of it, he would take every precau.
ton to prevent its spread, and he ad.
vised them to resume the even tenor of
their ways until the question was set
tied. He called their attention particu-
larly to the fact that we had a clean
bill of health at the Capo, and that no
disease of tho sort existed there. AS
every convict had been vaccinated be.
fore leaving England, twas simply I'M
possible for virulont outbreak to occur.
DR.. Haxton construed the captains
language as al insult and holly reiter.
ated his professional opinion. and there
we were, worse off perhaps than as If
pirate ship with the black flag flying
and her cutthroat crew at quarters was
bearing down on us with tho intention
to rob, ravish and scuttle.
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