The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-05-04
Genuine Smallpox.
OFFICIAL OPINION OF DR.
WHITEWATER.
Prompt Measures Adopted by the
Board Of Health and City Coun-
Gil to Stamp Out Disease.

Dr w eftenfaKer, the 6n3aHpC4 expert o.
the United States Marine Hospital service
came to Sumter Friday afternoon at the
r. quest of the Board CT Health to examine
the SMALLPOX situation BE Immediately
went into 40 examination of the situation
A special meeting OF the City Council was
held in conjanction with the Board of Health
10 bear the report of DR.. Wertenbaker
BE stated that be bad examined the case at
the hospital and two patients of Dr.. Mood
These be pronounced genuine smallpox of q
mild type, and from other cases that he bad
heard OF, be was satisfied there were proba-
bly, ten or twelve suspicious cases of the dis.
ease in Sumter. He at once urged upon the
Board of health the Importance Of taking
prompt aud effective steps towards stamping
ont the disease, for If this were not done the
disease would drag along for months. and
his experience is that the longer the disease
remaics in community the more virnlent it
becomes and more dangerous, and the longer
tits allowed to run on the more expensive it
is TO stamp it out.
- DR.. Werteabaker urged the Importance of
vaccination and re-yaccinatiou, and urged
spon the City Council: the supreme importance
of fully equipping the Board of Health land
giving them full power 20 deal with the sI.ua-
ton as 10 their opinion might be necessary.
To successfully cope with the disease it ss
necessary to have q hospital, physician in
charge, with cooks, nurses, &c
In addition TO this it is necessary to have
suspect camp where Suspicious cases may be
taken to await developments in persons Who
have been exposed TO the disease.
If.his is not done the disease will be break
jng ont in every direction, and each house
with new case will become new focus of
Infection, and it could not be stopped.
DR.. Werteobaker stated that the city should
be diqided iato districts aud house TO house
inspection should be had BY physicians at
least every three days In response to q
question be stated that the period OF imuan-
ity from smallpox BY vaccination varies with
the individual.
His theory is to vaccinate, vaccinate and
re-vaccinate Ha stated also that he had
never known person to lose an arm from
vaccinatien. Bad sores on arms were some
times caussd by bad virus, and frequently
from scratching and otherwise irritating the
arm. BE stated that with pure virus used
esd the arm not irritated, there is very little
Inconvenience attendant upoc vaccination.
Dr.. Wertenbaker stated that good many
questions of detail in managing the epidemic
would have to be left entirely to the Board OF
Health to settle, With full power to act. He
stated also that a very important matter was
that of thorough disinfection. Dr.. Werten-
baker stated that if the Board of Health was
thoroughly equipped and went eoergetically
70 work the disease could be stamped out
here 10 short time.
He stated that in some cases patients suf-
fering from smallpox might remaic at home,
under proper precautioos, under sfrict guard,
the guard to be paid for by the family. This
is question, however, that must be left en-
tirely to the discretion of the Board of Health
whether to permit it or not in any case.
Dr.. Wertenbaker went into many small
matters of detail with reference to the matter
that were chiefly of interest 10 the Board of
Health and the physicians.
DR.. Werteobaker was thanked by the City
Council a1d Board of Health for his visit to
Sumter aud the important information be
bad impaired.
The City Council is acting in full har-
mony with the Board Of Health in this mat
ter and adopted this morning an ordinance
W bich bad been prepared by the Board OF
health to meet the situation. It's estimated
that at present about ST 500 will be required
to deal with the situation.