The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-15
DISEASE STAMPED OUT
Last Case Dismissed From Quar-
antine.
ALL DANGER IS PASSED
Sixty-Ssven Cases Have B,en Treated
at the Hospital - Only Two
Deaths Officers Proud
OF tho Record

Great Falls. Dec, 15.-This morning
the last smallpox patient was dis
charged from the quarantine station up
the river, and SO far as Great Falls is
concerned the disease is all off or
course there may stray case drop
into the city from outside points, but
the. pestfouse will always be ready
and the experience gained by our
health officers during the smallpox
spell just passed will enable them to
spot patient several blocks away and
have him put where there will be no
danger OF contagion in short order.
So far as any danger of contagion in
the city is concerned it Is entirely pass
ed. Since Sept. IA there have been
treated in the hospital 81 cases, 81 of
them being Of the continent type. OF
the patients taken to the hospital two
died, one of them being a six weeks
old baby and the other being j. G. Con-
Kiln, the cattleman Of the neighborhood
Of Sand Coulee. His was also the last
case brought into the hospital. Before
the quarantine was established and
while the doctors were disputing as to
Just what the disease was, one man,
William Reed, died on the north side
and was given a public funeral at the
church, which resulted in the retire.
| ment Of the Rev. Van Englen and fam
lily Of six to the hospital. of the 81
cases treated only about 80 OF them
came from Great Fails, the rest having
come in from other places. Just how
many suffered with the disease before
the quarantine was established would
be hard to state, as no attention was
paid to casss which We're in the city
| long time previous and supposed to
be ehiekenpcx: perhaps 20 would not
| be a bad guess at the number who
| suffered the disease before the pest
| house was established OF one thing
| Great Falls may feel pleased. and that
is that everything was finished up be-
fore cold weather For this the health
authorities and mayor Of the city are
to be thanked, for when they did take
| hold they handled the disease with a
hand of iron; that they did not take
hold in the beginning was the fault,
| not Of themselves, but of those who
failed to report the cases as those of
smallpox. Other cities may profit by
| the experience OF Great Falls and If
they will they will not bother listen
ing to any differences of opinion as to
what the disease may be, but will give
the matter into their health officers
| hands with full power to act-and act
lively at that In connection with the
smallpox trouble is an amusing Incl
dent. When the pesttcuse was estab-
! lished at the poor farm and the in
mates removed to the old 3. & NJ hos
pital, among them was colured man,
named Porter, who had been choring
about the place. The sister superior
! who looked after matters primarily was
J talking to DR.. Weitman about hiring
a man to nurse and do necessary
| chores. Porter was in the room and at
| the mention of salary pricked his ears
UP and began to edge in. He wanted
the salary. but he had never had the
smallpox and did not want it. Finally
he suggested that he be given the job,
and was asked If he ever had smallpox.
II don kno', sah," he replied. doubt
fully, "but specs has. Use had mos
ever't'ing." Turning to DR.. Weitmen,
Porter asked him IL he had ever had
the disease. and being answered in the
negative, Porter drew a long breath,
and swelling with Importance, took
| Wetnan by the hand and heroically
announced: "Well, Doc, me and you'll
take q long chance at dis business,
| Desc people got to be saved. en- me
en- you'll do hit" Two weeks after
Porter's '.long chance" failed him and
he almost died with the smallpox be-
fore 1t could be made to break through
his tough outside covering. His was
the last case to be pronounced finally
| n1Irad