The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-11-30
The Smallpox Report.

Health Officer Reardon has completed his
report on the smallpox epidemic in this city
and it vii! be forwarded to the State Board
of Health. The report is lengthy document
and goes into the details of the outbreak OF
smallpox in Sumter, and tells of the course
adopted by the local Board of Health in
treatiu:. the disease and the methods employ.
ed ito prevent a general epidemic.
The disease 6rst appeared in Sumter on
January 10Th, when several negroes, who had
been attending the State colored college in
Orangeburg and had there contracted the
disease, returned home. Efforts were made
TO capture these negroes and place then, in
camp of detention, but they either secreted
themselves or left the city. Several pegroes
who came in contact with them contracted
the disease, but as it was of mild type and
none of those who bad it were seriously sick
no physicians were called in and no report
was made of the cases until April l7ths when
a suspicious case was reported to the Board
of Health by Dr.. Mood, who had been csiied
in to gee negro sick with an eruptiye dis
ease. The case proved to be a typical one OF
smallpox, aud the next day white man was
reported to have the disease. the Board OF
health Immediately removed the negro to the
pest house and qnsrans;ned the residence OF
the white caan, which was isolated frora other
houses, aad every person living in the neigh
borhood was vaccinated
Between April II and June 10th there were
2s cases of smallpox and 60 suspects under
guard Between August 9th ard September
Oath there were cases of smallpox and three
suspects nnder guard near the limits OF the
city, and as the outbreak was 80 near the city
that there was danger of it spreading in the
city the Board of Health took charge of the
cases and enforced the same regulations that
were adopted during the prevalence of the
disease in the city between April l7th and
June 10th. This outbreak was promptly
stamped out and was confined to the single
family IN which it appeared.
The duration of the epidemic in the city
WAS from April 18th to June 10th, and the
fact that i. was stamped out &c speedily and
that there were so few cases is due entirely to
the vigorous measures adopted By the Board
of Health.
The pest house was located one-hslf mile
beyond the city limits ia au isolated locality
and the camp OF detention was in the suburbs
of the city. Every precantion was adopted
TO prevent the spread of the disease and every
house where the disease appeared was thor
oaghly disinfectea with formaldyhlde.s Bed
clothing used by those suffering with the
disease Was burned and their clothing boiled
in g sclrtion Of corrosive subiimase The
suspects were required to take bath in a
diluted solution OF corrosive subllnafe and
warm water when they were committed 70
the canp of detention aud again before being
discharged, aud their clothing was disinfect-
"a no ho;t;or oicni1or eS10fiOO
A general vaccination was enforced and
every person of months of age and over was
yaccinatea, unless proof .was furnished of
successful vaccination withir six years Sew
eral thousand persons had had themselves
vaccinsted voluntarily prior to the enforce.
ment of the compulsory vaccination ordi-
nance, bat nevertheless 5000 persons were
vaccinated by the physicians employed by
the Board Of Health.
The itemized statement of the cost Of the
epidemic is as follows:
Buildings, rent, lumber, tents, ETC., 5 335 75
Ph;sicisns. 43o IS
Medicines and dlsinfectants, l0l 95
Guards. ETC.. 242 IS
Vaccination and. vaccine virus, 676 30
Supplies. groceries and incidental ex-
penses, 42S SO
Total, S2.2l3 4s
All persons who remained at home paid all
expenses sor guards and attendance. while the
CITY paid only the expenses of maintaining
the pest house and camp of detention
Dr.. Archie Chiua and then Dr.. A. @. Dick
had charge Of the pest house. DR.. Jesse A..
Clifton had charge of the camp of detention.
Dr.. S G. Baker, as president of the Board
of Health, and DR.. q. II. Stuckey, es mem