Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-25
Items Asked for Use of the Health
Office.
STRICKEN OUT BY HOUSE COMMITTEE
Appeal Made for Its Restoration
to the Bill.
GUARD AGAINST EPIDEMICS

1
ed for under the head of the health depart
ment was one for S25,O 900 for maintaining
| an emergency fund, to be used in case of
| an epidemic disease, when needed, on
the same principle as the million-dollar ap-
preparation for the marine hospital service.
In the bill as reported to the whole COM
mittee this item was stricken out. The af-
| ternoon of the 10th instant the health off,
Ger was called on to investigate a case
which had the appearance Of smallpox. A
| thorough investigation of the case and the
surrounding circumstances in the home of
| the patient fortunately proved that it was
case Of chickenpox. which very closely
resembles mild cases of smallpox.
When the epidemic broke out here few
years ago the first patient was supposed TO
have been i'll with and to have died from
| chickenpox, whereas. in reality. it was a
case of varioloid, from which all the
trouble started.
These circumstances were today called
| to the attention of Congress in letter adj
dressed by the District Commissioners to
Representative Grout, chairman of the sub
committee on appropriations.
while we are to be congratulated, say
the Commissioners, that the which
recently came to our notice was not what
it was supposed to be, it suggests forcibly
the importance of being prepared for an
emergency, should it occur. The warm,
| wet weather which we have recently ex-
in this connection.
The Disease Elsewhere.
This disease has increased so in Bir-
mingham, Ala, to be beyond the con-
troll of the city, and there are a number of
cases of 1t In Atlanta, Ca, from which
point travellers daily pass through this
city. Should a single case develop here it
would require the putting into operation of
the entire facilities for treating smallpox,
involving an expense greater than we now
have an appropriation to meet, and we beg
| of you to include this item in the District
bill. 1t may not be drawn on at all for
years, and it may be needed Immediately
Health Office Report.
With their letter the Commissioners
transmitted the following report, made to
| them by DR.. Woodward, the District health
| officer:
Upon examination Of the appropriation
| bill for the District of Columbia, as recent
ly reported, 1 find that the items prov1d-
ing for the maintenance of the new small
pox hospital, for the services of a Janitor
therefor and for an epidemic fund have
| been stricken out. While number of
other items which were treated in a SINH
lar manner were important, these three
seem to me to be especially SO; particularly
| in view of the fact that smallpox is at
present prevalent to such an extent at
| Birmingham, Ala, as to have led the au-
thorlties of that city to request the United
| States marine hospital service to assume
| full control, and because there are at present
| in Atlanta, Ga, 131 cases. The disease has
existed in the former place since the mid
die of July, the total number of cases up
| to the 4th instant being 4O6; in the latter
| place 1t has been present since August u,
| 1897, 272 cases having occurred up to the
| 18th instant. AS the period of incubation
| of this disease is approximately fourteen
days, it is evident that this District is by
| no means free from danger of becoming
N for n6 off hnr nf
| from others where the disease exists.
Case I'm Point.
The Importance of these items in the
appropriation bill has been further i'm
| pressed upon me by the appearance during
the past week at one of our dispensarics of
| a patient having disease so closely
sembling varioloid that the case was re-
ported to this department by the attending
physician for investigation to determine
the nature of the disease. Although the
investigation of the case and of the cir
cumstances attending 1t demonstrated that
the disease was chickenpoX, It's appearance
| and the preparations necessarily made by
this department Immediately upon it's re-
port to secure proper isolation and treat
| ment if the case proved to be one of small
pox. have served to emphasize the i'm
| portance of having a fund ready from
which the expenses might be paid. In the
| last outbreak of smallpox in this District
| the original case SO CLOSELY TeSSHDleQ
chickenpox that it was treated such,
| but proved to be fatal, and the subject was
| buried under that diagnosis. 1t was only
| by the course of subsequent events-the ap-
| pearance of unmistakable smallpox among
| persons who had been eXposed-that the
nature of the disease was determined.
The only fund upon which this District
can draw to meet the expenses of an out
break of this disease any other of the
| major contagious diseases, such, for in
stance, as yellow fever is the emergency
| fund, which amounts to but 5000, and
which must meet the expenses of riot,
pestilence, public insanitary conditions.
calamity by flood or fire and of like char
acter and of cases of emergency not other
| wise sufficiently provided for. 1t is APP
parent, therefore, that even If the total
| amount appropriated for this purpose were
sufficient for an outbreak Of moderate size.
| it may be SO diminished by drafts on it
| for other purposes as to make 1t entirely
Inadequate.
Expense Very Large.
1.-The expenses incident to the supervis-
| ion of any outbreak of smallpox or yellow
fever are very great. 1t is impossible in
district situated as this one is to secure the
services of competent medical men in con-
nection with such work for less than 50
| to SIS per day, not only because such work