The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1899-05-12

SO many false rumors have gone
out concerning the smallpox scare
in Columbia, that the facts about
the situation are known to very few,
and one hardly knows what to be-
lieve. In consequence thereof the
HERALD has collected the following
facts from the health officials, which
can be accepted as true statement
of the situation.
To begin at the beginning, the first
case of smallpox in the county was
that of a negro who came to Mt.
Pleasant several weeks ago, to work
in the phosphate mines near that
place. The negro stayed at the mines
a few days, and then went away, no
one knowing where he had come
from nor whittier he went. From all
reports this negro was afflicted with
the malady during his stay at Mt.
Pleasant, and the health authorities
believe that this was the beginning
of the whole trouble. Will Buford,
"a negro flom this city, was intimate
v associated with this negro, and
TOlbert Walker, another negro from
West End, worked with him in the
mines. About two weeks after the
strange negro took his departure,
both Buford and Walker were taken
I'LL and made their way to their homes
in this city. Buford was discovered
by the city health authorities in
house on Embargo street, and was
Immediately put under surveillance
to await developments. The health
authorities became satisfied beyond
reasonable doubt that the negro
was afflicted with smallpox, and
Immediately began the construction
of pest house. In the meantime
it was discovered that the negro
Tolbert Walker was ill in West End
and his case being a suspicious one,
he was also placed under surveil-
lance. Upon investigating the case,
the health officers learned that a
few days after the negro reached
home from Mt. Pleasant he began to
break out all over. He though he
had chicken-poX, and did not call in
IA physician. At the end of two
weeks he was up and going around,
the disease then being in the "shed
ding state, at which time, it is said
it is more easily transmitted to other
persons. DR.. Harrison heard of the
case, and Immediately hunted it
down and, called in DIR. Forgey, the
City Health officer A diagnosis of
the case was made, and both physi-
clans pronounced it unquestionably
smallpox. DR.. Harrison also ex-
amined Buford and pronounced his
case genuine smallpox. DR.. Harri-
son has had much experience with
smallpox, having been surgeon in
the Civil War, and has seen and
treated hundreds of cases.
AS soon as the presence of small
pox was discovered here the health
officers notified the State Board OF
Health at Nashville, and every pre-
caution was taken to prevent its
spread. AS stated in last week 6
HERALD, DR.. j. A. Albright, Secre-
tary of the State Board of Health,
came out last Thursday to examine
the cases under guard. He first went
to Carpenters mines about three
miles from Mt. Pleasant, where a
case was being guarded. This case
had been examined by both DR.
Voorhies, the County Health Officer
and DR.. Forgey, the City Health
Officer, who pronounced it smallpox
DR.. Albright made thorough dag.
nosis of the case and also pronounced
it smallpox beyond a doubt. That
afternoon he returned to Columbia,
and, accompanied by DIR. Forgey
went out to the pest. house and ex.
amined the two cases there. The
conclusion reached as result of the
examination was the same as thai
reached by Drs. Forgey and Harri
son.
All of the cases yet developed in
Maury County are of an exceedingly
mild type, but the mildness of the
disease does not interfere with its
contagion. DR.. Albright says thai
the disease, wherever discovered in
the South the past winter, is of the
same mild type. 1t exists at pres
ent in number of counties through
out the State, and there are said tC
be $50 cases in Memphis and Shelby
county.
Divers reports have been circulat
ed during the past week, it being
rumored that the infected negroes a
. | lllt pest llOuot lldu eStdpeu anu were
running at large, that a number o
new cases had been carried to tn,
pest house, aud various and sundry
other reports, some too absurd {,
deserve notice or contradiction. Tn,
HERALD is glad to state that all o
these reports are untrue. Up {,
Tuesday of this week there had beef
; no new cases carried to the pest
house, although a sister and littl
neice of Walker, the West End ne
gro, have been sick, and it wa
thought that they would be carrie,
, there. Later reports regarding tn
, cases will be found on our insid
q pages.
The health officers have done al
in their power to prevent a spreal
{ Of the disease. There has been som
y criticism passed upon them for no
putting all suspected cases and al
who had come in contact with tn
7 infected negroes In a house OF de
tenti0n; but this has been impracti