Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1899-11-02
LITTLE SMALLPOX.
Governor 0tero Set the wheels Moving to
Refute a False Story.
NO A o TO COMPLAIN.

Governor Otero IL working hard TO
correct the impression that has gone
abroad that New Mexico Is q hot-bed
for smallpox. A letter addressed to him
by X g. Tyler. secretary OF the Colo
RADIO board OF health, about this matter
some time sgo. asks the executive and
other officials In the territory to co. op.
crate with Colorado In preventing any
epidemic this winter. As q matter OF
fact, theirs are fewer smallpox cases In
New Mexico, despite its much greater
area, than there have been In Colorado,
Pennsylvania, Ohio, or other states dur
ing the past year. Smallpox has oc-
Cured only In the territory 10 isolated
places or In a sporadic form. and never
in epidemic form. Nevertheless, the
governor will use all means In his power
TO stamp the disease out altogether, aud
will have the co opera lion Of tbe terrific
rial board OF medical examiners In this
purpose. Bat even at present the state
OF health throughout New Mexico Ia a.
good and better than In sny other state
or territory 10 the United states. and
there will be less danger from spsllpox
and typhoid fever in Nsw Mexico this
winter than any where elss. The follow
lag oti ,isl correspondence explains the
situation as Ii exists to-day. 1t will be
noted that. contrary 10 this n assertion of
secretary Tyler, OF the Colorado health
board, there Is not u single case OF small.
pox at Albuquerque, and at Catskill
there is only one case, and as Catskill
does all its trading with Colorado and
faces Colorado, being ear the line. II IL
more Of q Colorado town than a New
Mexico settlement. Every citizen and
newspaper should do Its best to counter.
act the impression that smallpox Is epi-
demic In New Mexico. an impression
which il hurting the territory as we'll rs
The railroad companies and every other
business.
The letter OF the Colorado officer to
Governor 0tero was as follows:
''0ficial complaint has constantly
been made during the last eleven months
Dy the health officers throughout Colo.
radc, that cases OF smallpox have de-
velOped by reas n Of laxity ~ the health
officials Of New Mexico. At least $50
ca ses have been traced, during the time
indicated, 10 your state. This fact GER
tainly indicates that proper measures are
not being taken by health officer
through New Mexico to prevent the
spread Of the disease. Most OF the cases
have had their origin either In Albu-
QuerQue or Cat Kill. The matter has
ben carefully considered by the Colo
RADIO state board OF health. and it has
beemed wise to lay the matter
before your excellency. with q view to
securing proper action on the part OF
those officially responsible for the con-
troll Of the disease. | respectfully re-
quest that you make such investigation
Of thu matter as seems wise to you. and
that l be informed ~ to whether any
new m asurest to prevent like occurrences
this fall and winter are being taken.
We have no wish TO cast ASPIRATIONS
are In duty bound to protect the inter
este OF the Colorado citizens"
Governor 0tero at once took the mat
ter up, with the following result:
Mayor o. n. Marion, Of Albuquerque.
wrote to the governor:
81 took the matter up with DR.. Pearce.
our city physician, and / enclose here
with o letter addressed to you on the
matter In question. | know the city
off Jisls Of this city, the board OF health
and the citlz ms generally have dOle
everything In their power to prevent thu
spread OF the disease. The city last
year expended something like S. 900 In
quarantining, maintenance Of pest
house aud care OF patients. The charge
I at this city II the least bit careless Ia
using measures TO prevent tie cOntsgiOn
or spread Of IL IL wholly unfOundei. IL
will be found that thi- city IL rs fully
alive TO the welfare OF its cltiz ans ~ IL
any other city in any part OF the country
and that any measure possible TO prevent
disease and the spread OF c~ontagion Is
taken. l. the Colorado officers will sug.
gest anything further that we should do.
or how we could co operate with them In
the stamping out OF smallpox, We will be
glad 10 hear from them"
DR.. John II. Pearce, city physician OF
Albuquerque, wrote TO Governor Otero:
Ia regard to Cat-klll. We know moth
ing about IL. In regard TO Albuquerque,
the quarantine laws have been very strict
for the past six months. Smallpox has
been very scarce In this city, aud In all
cases OF recovery the houses ami the per-
sons themselves have been strictly fumi-
gated. The only case that comes from
Albuquerque was a Mrs. Matson. that
came through from California and stayed
q short time In Albuquerque. and went 10
Colorado and there broke out with small
pOx, and spread from that case to a mum
Der OF cases la that vicinity. To ths lax
ity OF the health OH cials there Is due the
spreading from that one case, and the
health officials Of Albuquerque ara In no
ways to blame. There has been In Al
buquerque and its vicinity but two cases
since the LIST OF April, and those two cases
N the latter part OF that month. None
since"
County Clerk A. L.. Hobbs, at Ration,
made this response to the governor:
mo action has been taken by the
hoard In the smallpox cas-s; they have
left II TO the precinct authorities. There
has been no epidemic at any time, aud
the local health officers have been deemed
60 ~ petent to handle such cases In their
districts. There Is but one case known
To exist At present, and that is at Cats
kill. and Is in the hands OF the local
authorities. | will bring the matter to
the attention OF tie board, as soon rs
possible, and advise you OF th ir action +"
DR.. ] II Sloan, president OF the terri
torial board OF health. made the follow
ing report to the governor:
In reference to your inquiry OF re-
cent date 10 the territorial board OF
health, we desire to inform you that there
are only "A few isolated cases OF smallpox
In the territory OF New Mexico-not TO
exceed twenty seven la all. They are all