The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-04-20
TWO CASES OF SMALLPOX.
The Disease Appears IN This City.
The Board Of Health Takes Pre-
cautions. Compulsory Vac
clnation Ordered.

The thing feared for several months has at
last come to pass. Smallpox has broken out
in this city and two cases have been brought
to the attention Of the Board of Health. The
disease s similar to the ernptive disorder that
has been prevalent in Greenville, Co!umbis
aud other towos in the upper sections Of the
State, aud although great many physicians
10 other places have pronounced the disease
not smallpox, the ph5e,cians here are all of
the opinion that X is smallpox.
The first case reported to the Board Of
Health was Tom Gaillard, colored. Dr..
Mood was called in to zee him several days
Ago, but be was not seriously sick at that
time and there was ouly slight eruption.
Sunday when be saw him again his face
and body were covered with an eruption, and
Dr.. Mood notified the Board of Health Al once
Later in the day Dr.. A. j China reported 10
the Board of Health that NJ. W. b Pate
had an eruptivs disease that he believed TO be
smallpox.
The Board Of Health held special meeting
Sunday afternoon and the two suspects
were examined by all of the physiciaos Of the
city OF the request of the Board. 1t was the
concensus of opinion that both suspects bad
Smallpox or some disease 80 similar IN every
respect that it wss impossible to deferentiale
between them Drs j. Bosssard and A.
j. China attended many cases of smallpox
prior to, during apd Immediately subsequent
TO the war and are therefore well qualified 10
speak au,horltatively on the subject They
say that the disease is smallpox of a proDour-
ced aad unmistakabie type, although it may
prove to be of mild from.
Dr.. China, who is attending Mr.. Pate,
s,a,ed to the writer this morning that there
was no doubt in hia mind as to the disease
being smallpox that the eruption was char
ac,e,lstic in appearance aod that the other
attendant and coD6rmatory symptoms were
present aod more pronounced than yes,er-
day.
The Board Of Health took prompt nes-
sures TO isolate the two cases and to
preveat the spread OF the disease. The
houses 10 which the two cases were located
were Guaranteed and everybody living 10
the ueighborbood Was vaccinated at once,
more thao Fifty persons undergoing the opera
ton at the direction of the Board Mon-
day the Board of health held special
meeting and made arrangements to remove
the two cases to pest house Beyond the city
limits. As the pest house erected sometime
ago was recently burned, the Board was forced
to utilize tents, and four regular army ;ents
were o;05red erected on the site Of the pest
house. The tents have been foored and,
being water proof and close the smallpox
patients will suffer no hardship by the re-
moval.
Compulsory vaccination was decided to be
necessary, and an order was formulated to
put it into effect One thousand vaccine
points were ordered by the Board, and as
soon as they STRIVE steps will be taken to
h.ve every man, woman and child in the city
vaccinAted
The prac:iciog physicians and police will
be required to report all sus: ec:ed cases to
.es e;t:zsns will be requested to report su.-
pec,s that con under their observation.
The outbreak has created more or less ex-
citement in the city, and the doctors have
been kept tusy vaccinating those wto
prefer suumitting voluntarily 10 the ordeal
rather than being forced to do so by the order
of the Board Of Health
There is no probability of an epidemic of
smallpox in Sumter, for majority of the
people have been vAccisated within recent
months, aud are therefore immune, and the
prompt and Efficient measures ador'ed by the
Board Of Heaith will not only prevent the
spread of the disease, but will reduce to q
minimum the danger of contagion. 10 fact,
there is very little. if any. danger Of conta-
giou, and no one need fear to pursue their
accustomed avocatione just as if there was no
such thing as smallpox within hundred
miles of Sumter.
Ne nev cases Of smallpox have been re.
ported to the Board of Health within the past
forty .eigh, hours 1t is stated, however, that
there have beeo within the past moath, six or
or more cases of eruptive disease in the negro
suburb Of the city known as Golden Hill.