The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-18
A SMALL POX EPIDEMIC
But It Is of a Very Mild, Harm
j.. less Type.
DOCTORS ARE SQUABBLING
1t Is Not Necessary to Close the Schools
Vaccination Affords No Protec-
ton Against the Disease.
An Ipjustic, Done.

seemingly been a determined effort on
the part of a few individuals in this
community to prove that Great Falls
is being cursed with a smallpox cpl
demic. There have been a number of
cases in the city which may be severe
types of chickenpoX, or they may be
fever or the bubonic plague. What
ever the disease, the fact remains that
no one has died of it, much less has
been crippled for life. For all the pub
lie knows, it may be beri-beri, induced
by the near home coming of the troops
from the Philippines. The doctors are
squabbling over it, and as many seem
to think it chickenpox as smallpox and
the rest evidently believe that their
learned brothers do not know what
they are talking about
Meanwhile the people who are ill are
being strictly confined to their homes,
and no one else is catching the disease.
From the standpoint of the city in gem
eral, 1t is unfortunate that so much
prominence has been given to the cases.
From the most radical view, the dis
ease Is not dangerous, and the few
cases are being well taken care of, but
the fright which is likely to ensue from
a sensational presentation of the mat
ter will do more harm than genuine
epidemic of the dread disease. AS the
matter now stands a special COMMITTEES
of physicians most of whom have these
particular cases in hand, has reported
it to be the genuine smallpox, while the
rest of the fraternity is opposed to this
diagnosis. The special committee
makes the following report:
I'VE are of the opinion that we have
in the community few mild cases of
M nj a n a
modified by the newness of the city,
and it's freedom from refuse and sew
age, possibly by the altitude.
I'VE recommend strict quarantine
and vaccination.
"A F. Longway, Earle Strain. J. L.
Weitman, G. Ferguson, c. A. Brady,
Committee"
Signers of the above report state that
it is not necessary to close the schools.
On the other hand, DIR. r. c. Hill.
representing a considerable portion of
the doctors, makes the following public
statement of his views:
with all due Difference to the eX-
perience and acumen of the members
composing the investigating commit-
tee it is very safe to say that their
views are shared by very small por-
ton of their professional brethren in
the city.
For some months the existence of an
throughout northern Montana has been
well known to the medical profession,
and from time to time reports of VII
lagos and railway stations infested
with smallpox and quarantined in con-
sequence have appeared in the news
papers. In all, several hundred people
have possibly been attacked Throughout
the state. yet, so far as | am aware,
not a single death from the disease has
been recorded. This is scarcely con-
sistent with the known mortality of
even the mildest epidemies of small
pox. Here in Great Falls this same
disease has prevailed for some months,
during which time some 80 persons per-
haps have been effected, but I think
am correct in stating that no death has
been thus far reported
THAT this disease differs essentially
from smallpox is further shown by the
circumstance that vaccination appears
to afford no prot 4ctioa whatever
against it's contagion, the vaccinated
suffering oftentimes more severely than
the non-vaccinated. l have even per-
sonal knowledge of one case in which
the subject of the disease has about his
person the unmistakable pits left by
an attack of smallpox contracted three
years ago, yet he suffered more severely
than several, children who had never
been vaccinated, and children as Is
--~-~--
pox.
Indeed, to the intelligent physician
who has had any smallpox experience
at all, the cases which have been under
observation here in Great Falls pre-
sent not single essential feature of
smallpox. In conclusion it may be ap-
propriate to inquire whether these gen.
tlemen in attendance on cases, which
they themselves have pronounced to be
genuine cases of smallpox, will have
the courage of their convictions and re-
frain from general practice during the
continuance of such attendance. 1t
would scarcely be consistent, to say the
least, to come from one of the cases
(after calling it smallpox into home
in which the disease has not yet made
it's appearance. 1t might be further
asked what steps they have taken to
prevent the invasion of the public
schools?"
It really looks as If, no matter who is
right and who wrong, the general pub
lie and city has been done injustice by
the publication of a smallpox scare,
when, to say the least, the existence of
the disease is much in doubt.