The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-02-15
SMALLPOX IN CHARLOTTE.
DIR. wertenbaker, Who Went to the Queen
City TO Investigate the Suspicious Cases
in the Pest House, Pronounced Them
Sma1ipox-There Have Been FIVE Cases
Up to- Friday

says:
1t is smallpox DR.. c. p. we-teaba-
ker, passed assistant surgeon or the
United States marine hospital service,
says so.
There is now 10 further doubt on the
subject. as DIR. Wertenbaker is one of
the most skilled SMALLPOX experts in the
service, having had twelve years expert
ence and never having failed in Il correct
diagnosis OF the disease
DR.. Wertenbaker arrived in the city
as stated in yesterdays Observer, Thurs
day night. He spent the night at the
Central and yesterday morning about 10
O'Clock appeared on the streets in COM
pany with Drs. Wilder and strong, going
to Mellon & Shelton'S TO provide him
self with a suit of duck and general
smallpox attire. He was at once recog-
niZed as the expert and Immediately
became such an object of interest that
crowds Of people pressed around him I'M
til it was necessary for the police 10
clear the way. He took the evidences
of curiosity and interest good n~aturedly,
approaching the unusualness of the situ-
alton and the fact that for the first time
since 1850 there was occasion to have a
smallpox expert here, and therefore the
appearance OF one naturally excited curl
osity. The curious, however, found that
AN expert looked like other men-this
special expert being in every way pleas
ant to look upon and by no means a rara
avis of any kind.
AS soon as the doctor got his small
pox outfit, he went to r. c. Ross. got a
pad for a penny and thus equipped he
and Drs. Wilder and Strong drove in a
carriage out to the pest house.
when in $50 yards of the house, the
carriage stopped, the party got out and
began disrobing. Each of the doctors
took off his outer clothing and put on
overallS of duck, caps of same and
gloves. They then walke up the hill
about twenty-five yards and within ten
yards of the guard line, when they stop
nod and n1a1a res mi pa tOrS and tied them
over mouth and nose, leaving only room
to see well. Covered from head to foot
in linen and with the respirators over
their faces they went into the camp, and
made a thorough examination of each
Ease. Dr.. W~ertenbaker went first to SAL
lie Wagner. He ran his hand over her
face. He then went to Frank Jackson,
the 14-year-old son of VIM. Jackson. who
died, who had been in the pest house
three days, the public not being appris-
ed Of the fact. He ran his hands over his
eruption also. examining carefully the ma
ture and character of the scabs. He then
examined Oscar Jackson in the same way
and last Harvey Perkins, who was taken
to the pest house Thursday afternoon.
I'm each instance he put his fingers
on the sores, thereby determining bet
ter their formation and character.
"The three pfysisians remained at the
pest house two hours. On leaving the
| house they threw the respiratorS away
and had them burned. They then hung
their clothing upon the bushes until the
next time they get ready to visit the
camp. They walked in this disrobed con-
dition to the place where they had left
their regular clothes, resumed them and
returned to town. After reaching the
hotel, DR.. Wertenbaker bathed and
| changed clothes again. Drs. Wilder and
Strong repaired to their respective homes
and did the same.
after dinner DR.. Wertenbaker repair
ed to his room and began his report to
the surgeon general. He expressed no
~:as1 90 b. oan not axvnn nrc VIII
der and Strong, as to the character of
the disease at the pest house. No one
asked for any expression, for 1t was
stated in Yesterdays Observer that he
! could not and would not make IN state
| ment until he had made one officially to
the surgeon general, and to the board of
aldermen"
DIR. WERTENBAKER'S REPORT.
A meeting of the board Of aldermen
of Charlotte was held on Friday night
and there was present a large crowd of
citizens interested in the outcome. DR..
W~ertenabker submitted a full written
report. In his report he says:
Accompanied by Drs. Strong and Will
der, 1 this morning visited the pest house
of your city and found therein nine per-
sons, all cOlored. four of whom are suf-
fering with smallpox, the other five hav-
ing been exposed to the disease and are
now detained, awaiting developments,
cIId oil Gill III GU III III SlIIS lllC Il It
following named persons are suffering
from the disease: Sallie Wagner. Oscar
Jackson, Frank Jackson and Harvey
Perkins. Sallie Wagner and Oscar Jack
son are recovering, both having had a
light attack of the disease.
Frank Jackson, aged IA years, is a son
of the case that died with smallpox re-
Gently. Frank developed the eruption on
Wednesday last, and has a very slight
attack. In the cases of Sallie Wagner,
Oscar Jackson and Frank Jackson the
disease has been modified by v~accina-
ton.
Harvey Perkins. aged 81, nativity
North Carolina. developed the eruption
last Monday morning at Meals camp, u
miles north of Mooresville. on the Mocks-
vile extension branch of the Southern
railway. He had come from GreenviHe.
and arrived at the camp on Sunday even
ing, and slept with some of the employees
on Sunday night. On awakening Mon
day morning he noticed that he was
broker out with the eruption. He left the
camp quietly. without mentioning the
eruption to any one, and made his way
to Charlotte. arriving yesterday after
noon. February 10. 1898. He is now in the
fifth day Of the eruption, and his case :
TYPICAL
IMPORTANCE OF VACCINATION.
DR.. Wertenbaker being requested to
make suggestions as to the best method
to prevent the spread of the contagion.
says:
LAS to the methods of prevention of
smallpox there are only two practicable:
One is to prevent its introduction and the
other is to give no material to feed on.
With the number of cases ST smallpox at
present scattered through the southern
states, it is not practicable to prevent its
coming into this city. So the only other
alternative is to be prepared. and leave
no person in the city who is unprotected,
to become a victim.
Il am informed that there has been
some opposition on the part CT some of
your citizens to the ordinance requiring
every person to be v~accinated or show
that they are otherwise protected against
smallpox.
LAS far as I can learn this opposition
is based chiefly on the ground that in
some instances the v~accinated person
has been temporarily disabled. due to
Inflammation of the arm. and has been
unable to attend to his business. 1 be-
lieve that. as a general rule, excessive
Inflammation following vaccination. is
chiefly due to sorne injury or irritant to
the vaccination wound. rather than TO
the virus, and if the wound is properly
protected but little, if any inconvenience
will follow vaccination.
.snp tho atbar hand it uo-Ir5 caao, N