Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-11-01
LITTLE SMALLPOX
Governor 0tero Set the Wheels
Moving to Refute a False
Story.
NO CAUSE TO COMPLAIN
The Territory has Only Isolated Gases of
The Disease and Few of Them-Pre-
cautionary Measures Taken BY
Health Officers.

AS"ApA SLlOOlpt
Governor Otero is working hard tC
correct the impression that has gone
abroad that New Mexico is a hot-bed
for smallpox. A letter addressed to him
by G. L. Tyler, secretary of the Colo
RADIO board of health, about this matter
some time ago, asks the executive and
other officials in the territory to Coop
crate with Colorado in preventing any
epidemic this winter. AS a matter of
fact, there are fewer smallpox cases in
New Mexico, despite it's much greater
area, than there have been in Colorado,
Pennsylvania, Ohio, or other states dur
ing the past year, Smallpox has occur
red only in the territory in 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, and
will have the cooperation of the terri
rial board of medical examiners in this
purpose. But eve at present the state
of health throughout New Mexico is as
good and better than in any other state
or territory in the United States, and
there will be less danger from smallpox
and typhoid fever in New Mexico this
winter than anywhere else. The follow
ing official correspondence explains the
situation as it exists to-day. 1t will be
noted that, contrary to the assertion of
Secretary Tyler, of the Colorado health
board, there is not a single case of
smallpox at Albuquerque, and at Cats
kill there is only me case, and as Cats
kill does all it's trading with Colorado,
and faces Colorado, being near the line,
it is really more of a Colorado town
than a New Mexico settlement. Every
citizen and newspaper should do it's best
to counterfeit the impression that small
poX is epidemic in New Mexico, an i'm
preston which is hurting the territory,
as well as the railroad companies and
every other business.
The letter of the Colorado officer to
Governor Otero was as follows:
"Official complaint has constantly
been made during the last eleven
months, by the health officers through
out Colorado, that cases of smallpox
have developed by reason of laxity of
the health officials of New Mexico. At
least $50 cases have been traced, during
the time indicated, to your state. This
fact certainly indicates hat proper
are not being taken by health
officers through New Mexico to prevent
the spread of the disease. Most of the
cases have had their origin either in AL
buquerque or in Catskill. The matter
has been carefully considered by the
Colorado state board of health, and it
has been deemed wise to lay the matter
before your eXcellency, with a view to
securing proper action or the part of
those officially responsible for the con-
troll of the disease. | respectfully re-
quest that you make such investiga-
ton of the matter as seems wise to you,
and that be informed as to whether
any new measures to prevent like &C.
curences this fall and winter are being
We have no wish to EAST asper-
upon the officials of New Mexico,
we are in duty bound to protect the
interests of the Colorado citizens"
Governor Otero at once took the mat
ter up, with the following result:
Mayor o. N. Marion, of Albuquerque,
wrote to the governor:
Il took the matter up with DR.. Pearce,
our city physician, and I inclose here
with a letter addressed to you on the
in question. I know the city Off
Gals of this city, the board of health
and the citizens generally have done
everything in their power to prevent
he spread of this disease. The city last
expended something like St 5000 in
Iuarantining, maintenance of pest
and care of patients. The charge
hat this city is the least bit careless in
Using measures to prevent the con
.agion or spread of it is wholly un- |
1t will be found that this city |
S as fully alive to the welfare of it's |
ltlACllS do ID dIy JULIET CIly Ill III part !
# the country, and that every measure
possible to prevent disease and the /
spread Of c%ontagion is taken. If the |
Colorado officers will suggest anything |
urther that we should do, or how we
cooperate with them in the
ttamping out of smallpox, we will be
lad to hear from Them
DR.. John F. Pearce, city physician of
albuquerque, wrote to Governor Otero:
In regard to Catskill we know
about it. In regard to Albu-
uerque, the quarantine laws have been
cry strict for the past six months.
mallpox has been very scarce in this
ity, and in all cases of recovery the
ouses and the persons themselves have
cen strictly fumigated. The only case
hat comes from Albuquerque was a
1rs. Matson, hat came through from
alifornia, n stayed a short time in
and went to Colorado,
nd there broke out with smallpox, and
bread from that case to a number of
Uses in that vicinity. To the laxity of
le health officials there is due the |
oreading from that one case. and the !