Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-04

| issue. Mr.. Grafton said that he resides
| within four or five blocks of the park and
| that the entire addition Is we'll populated
Most of the people use Ames avenue as
their principal thoroughfare in coming down
town and must consequently pass very close
to the location Of the proposed pest house
The employees of the pest house would
naturally use the same street, even If they
did not pass TO and fro on the same street
car line that is used by the residents in
that vicinity.
Mr. Grafton also called attention to the
fact that the Central Park school is only four
blocks from the proposed hospital and that
from 200 to 250 children are in attendance
during school days, Many of these pupils
cross the park in going back and forth from
school. There are also two churches in the
vicinity and church-goers would be COM
PEELED to pass near the alleged nuisance or
stay at home. He declared that one result
of the proposed step would be to reduce the
value of property and demoralize rents. He
had heard a number Of tenants declare that
they would move away from the nelghorhood
at once II the pest house were located in the
park, He also testified that people are gem
orally excited and in fear CT probable con-
tagon. The drainage from the pest house
must be carried off by the small creek that
runs through the park and thence through
well populated locality to Miller park, where
the creek empties.
DR.. o. S. Wood was called to give his
ideas of the probable results of the location
His most important testimony consisted of
the assertion that the element of fear was
of greatest Importance in considering the
possibility of epidemic. He declared that IL
is possible for smallpox to be acquired
through fear of the disease alone and per-
sisted in the statement through very rigid
cross examination. He also said that il
smallpox patients are surrounded by proper
safeguards, isolation is entirely unneces-
sary. The pest house is necessary on ac-
count OF patients who have no homes and
on account OF the fear OF the disease which
would be likely to result in an epidemic If
the patients were not isolated
Several additional witnesses were exam
ined who testified to facts referred TO by
lhe previous witnesses. In behalf OF the
city Building Inspector Butler testified to
the general location OF the smallpox hospital
and the distance by which 1t was separated
from surrounding buildings. Health Com
missioner Spalding related the reason which
led the municipal authorities TO locate the
hospital at that point He emphasized the
fact that the officials face an emergency that
calls for immediate action and declared tuGt
the proposed location is sufficiently isolated
to prevent any danger of contaglon. He
held that the disease cannot be carried any
distance through the atmosphere and that
il must be acquired through direct contact.
DR.. j. II. Peabody and DR.. B. f. drummer
corroborated this view. They declared posi-
lively that the disease is not transmissible
for any considerable distance and that the
situation in this city is such that immediate
isolation of cases is imperative, DR.. Crum-
mer also called attention to tue fact that
while the situation Is not serious in point
OF death rate, it promises to injure the com
merce of the city during the next few
months unless it is controlled.
The arguments will be heard this morning.