The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-01-12


every possible safeguard against the
eaterslen aud ragsges Of this loashe-
some disease
Permit me TO urge Jon to coatlnue
aud redonbIe Jour efforts ia behalf OF 8
misgpided people with whom speedy
assfon Is 40 imperative necessity 10 the
presencs Of possible epidsnic S
AS chairman Of the State board Of
1 health. permit me to thank yon for
your earnest, timely advoclscy Of What
eger might promoSe the health Of our
people. E have The honorto be
Very respectfully 4
Charles Il Taber, M. D.,
Chairman State Board Of Health
The lettsr Of Dc. Simons reads as
follows
Charleston, Jan 5.
Dr Charles Taber. Chairman State
Board of Health:
Dear Sir: De. Stuart has sent me
kessDclosed letters refe. them TO
sou for action IS you may deem best.
arote you inportaps letters December
Ss,7 50 1897 so fas ! have had no reply.
Yours respectfully,
& Grange Simons, NJ. D
The 6rst enclosure MAS 40 follows:
Beanfort, S G January 4. 1898
Dr. g Grange simons. Charleston, 8
Cs:
Dear Doctor Mr Martin from To-
motley has repoeted to me that be heard
yesferday that there was acase of snall,
pox on his plesce near Tomosley depot
vill go on the train to- day and see if
s 81 Is ID. The patient is his forenan's .
son juss from Glafiin university I will
rne gou to.night if the report is true-s
ou must then advise me what TO- do
We have DO money TO guard and isolate.
eso. Yon viii hear from me. Years
s.uly,
s a M Stuart.
The second enclosure reads as fol
IetHs:
SHELDON, S. G /, Jan. 4. 1889.
Dr. T Grange Simons, Charleston.
Dear Doctor / am waiting for
the train TO carry me back to Beau
fort and I am utilizing the time by
writing TO you q description of the
case Of smallpox that I have just
seen Il is unmistakably q case Of
smallpox. I think il will be confa
elat The boy, OF young man, John
Mitchell. has recently returned from
Claain. He has been here inst long
enough for the disease to develop to
tie stage it is now in he wac in
Beaufort last Wednesday complains.
ed Of headache, etc !; applied to q
psysician for medicine DR. Ritties
saw him yesterday pronounced it
case Of smallpox got Prioleau to
come over With me TO day. and We
confined this diagnosis. There can
Be no possible doubt of it. Mitchell
says his roommate had the same
thing before he left If this is so. is
S il right that the authorities at Clafin
should have kept it quiet /? The
neighborhood is crowded with me-
groes great many have Of course
seen this case, and although / have
given all instruction to the contrary,
Il have no doubt many more will see
him before he gets well or goes un-
der. The white planters in the
neighborhood are very anxious and
request that steps be taken to have
Q general vaccination instituted. This
viii cost some money. but it could
be done at not much cost. If the
virus is furnished l think it could be
done at about 25 cents per head.
You must remember this is in the
country and the State is the only
source from which the pay can come
] Intend to try and institute compul-
sorry vaccination in the town of Beau
fort, but ont here, Of course, can
do nothing Some of the gentlemen
suggested that they make application
to tLe governor, but / told them to
wait until communicated with you
The times are 80 dull that the ply
sicians about here will be willing to
work for very little remuneration.
Let me hear from you as 5000 as pos
sible. My life will not be worth
living until / start something in the
way of prevention. have ordered
every thing done that can be in the
way of Isolation, etc remain
yours very truly,
FL. NJ Stuart.
It is not yet known what steps the
State board of health will take to
prevent the spread of the disease
on the coast and possible spread of