The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-13
A SURGEONS SCHEME.
How IA Clever Doctor Guaranteed n
Bull Fight.

Chihuahua, Mex, Aug. H.-Since small
pox has been present in such close prox-
unity 10 Baltimore, the following account
Of the means that were once adopted by
very vigilant health officer on the Texas
frontier may be of interest to the readers
of the Sun.
On my way to Mexico had the pleasure
Of meeting at Ei paso. Tex, DR.. Alexan-
der veteran member Of the United
states marine service, who had spen. many
Years guarding our portals against the
great Mexican pestiience.
DR.. Alexander is by nativity a Swiss
but his devotion to his adopted land is
none the less ardent on that account.
He is what is generally known as "a
oharacter'-rough, male and hearty. with
a striking resemblance to our pictured
images Of Kris Krinkle. especially as re-
cards his twinkling eye and jelry-like alb
domen. He is a man worth going miles
to meet, for the funny tales he tells of his
experiences in the service of public health
keep you laughing for days
1t seems that about three months ago
smallpox was very prevalent just across
the Rio Grande from E{ Paso, and il look
cd as If the epidemic would surely cross
the river. But DR.. Alexander instituted
rigorous quarantine and managed TO keep
off all communication with the infected
region until a Mexican bul fight arrived
on the other side. But on every Sunday
celebration of that enticing Spanish en-
tertainment a large contingent of the
sporting element of the Texas town cross
ed the river to view the fight Not only
did the citizens of lei Paso attend but
tourists would stop over. and on their re-
turn expose the land of Stars and Stripes
to the risk of an epidemic.
Having no power to prevent their going
over and not wishing to he hard on his
fellow citizens, the vigilant health officer
pleaded with them, delivered a small
moral lecture on the wrong they were
doing, but all in vain.
He then wrote a more caustic article,
in which he politely told them that there
would he trouble If the Sunday emigra-
ton into the infected province continued.
But they needed not his words of warning.
Now, the doctor is a jovial man and he
has merry laugh, but he means bust
ness when he says so. and he could not
view with content the slur which had been
cast on the great department of public
health or sit quietly by and see his ON
nipotent authority bedraggled in the mud.
He decided to teach them a lasting lesson,
and so he did.
Sunday came, a beautiful spring day,
and the bull fight came off. and the citi-
zens and tourists emigrated as of yore,
chucklimg to themselves as to how the
old doctor was at home pulling his hair,
for on their way over they saw him not
The fight was a good one, the bulls were
vicious, the banderillos active. the plea
doris skillful and the enjoyment of the
Americans was great But after the car
nal sport was over, after the matador
had Withdrawn his bloody sword from the
quivering body of the last bull amid the
tumultuous chorus of "bravos" from the
heartless audience, our fellow citizens
started again for Dixis land, but they
p q N
persons of a large number of river
guards" under the command of the old
doctor, who proceeded to corral the
whole outfit"
Excitement ran high for a while and
some of the most pugnacious were vio-
lent and used bad words. and in response
to angry questionings as to what he meant
to do the doctor blandly replied; Il am
going to sterilize you"
Not being conversant with the germ
theory or with modern aseptc surgical
technique, the captives were much non
plussed, but their suspense was soon re-
lieved. After they had been placed in
line some of the guards disappeared, but
soon returned bearing curious-looking
apparatus, which seemed to be a cross
between a force pump and a giant atom
izer, and placed the machine in front of
the line
The doctor took hold of tube. the as
sistants began to pump laboriously, and
while the captive miscreants were won
derlng what was going to happen their
line was suddenly struck by a vaporous
blast that almost took them off their feet.
To their EXPLANATIONS of anger the doc
tor replied that he was simply killing the
germs with a good. strong solution of BIZ
chloride of mercury, explaining that the
apparatus was an invention of his own,
of which he was very proud that the
mechanism Was simplicity itself and that
he was thinking strongly of getting out
patent on II. In the meantime he re-
entlessly sprlnkled their best Sunday
suits. sparing not an occasional plug hat
or gaudy tie, and serving alike the labor
er's jeans and the dudes prince Albert"
When their anterior surfaces seemed
sufficiently saturated the sturdy health
officer calmly told them to turn their
backs, and proceeded to finish the duck
ing ito the Queens taste" relentlessly
working his medicated sprinkler until the
last offender was soaked.
A street car load of sports" was held
up and similarly served Most of them
offered to get out, but the doctor ex-
planned that that was unnecessary, as his
antiseptc spray would work well through
the windows.
Several young gallants had brought their
fsncees in buggies, but their feminine
smiles had little effect on the stony
hearted medical man, and after the usual
douching the doctor says he emptied a few
pints of fluid on the cushions lust 10
make an extra impression on the occu-
pants"
A sorry looking crew il was that cross
ed back over the Rio Grande that beauti-
fu@ Sunday afternoon, leaving a bichlo-
ride trail upon the sidewalks and heaping
antisepic curses upon the head of the man
that invented the germ theory.
The quarantine officer little dreamed of
the far-reaching effects his operations
would have, for they not only put a sud-
den stop 10 the American attendance to
the bull fights but forced the fight to
close down. For without American cash
there was little profit in It, and the old
doctor ie very happy in having put an
end to what he considered a detestabfe
sport.
Button the other hand, he acquired the