The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-23
The REPORT
Physicians Not Agreed to Ignore
Smallpox Cases.
NOTHING is CONCEALED
Cases Win be Reported as Berors-Com'
pulsory Vaccination Should Be
Enforced = An Injustice
to Physicians.

| some or the physicians of Butte take
| exceptions to the report that a major
ity of the doctors had agreed, in view
of the decision of Judge Sullivan IN
/ the Hanson case, to report no more
/ smallpox cases to the health officers.
/ They state that no such agreement has
ever been considered, much less en-
tered into, by a majority Of the physi-
! clans, and several of them used rather
] emphatic language In denouncing the
report. One of them stated yesterday
! that the report probably had its origin
I in jocular remark made by one dec
! tor that in future all smallpox cases
| would be reported as iodine RASH
| the expression used by DR.. Hanson in
| describing the MeCants case. In rela-
1 ton to the alleged suppression of sew
| eral cases which were discovered In
certain block where number Of ply,
i sicianS have their Offices 1t was stated
| yesterday that the contrary to what
| was reported by the health officers was
| the fact. Three cases came under he
| observation of the doctors in that
! building and all were promptly report
| ed, the first to DR.. Alexander and the
| other two to DR.. Monroe. and the pa
| tients were promptly removed to the
| pest house.
/ THE doctors owe it to themselves,
4 liiElI pIOlGSSiOH anu the health u the
4 community for which they have some
1 regard Notwithstanding the insinuation
4 that they have selfish and pecuniary
| interest In the matter, to report every
case promptly to the health officers
and to assist the latter in every way
! possible to stamp out the disease and
protect the health of the people," said
! one well. known physician yesterday.
| THE health officers have and should
have every encourageme in their
work. Compulsory vaccination should
be enforced, for there is not the least
doubt of the right and authority of
| the health officers to compel people to
1 become vaccinated. The courts uni
| versally have recognized that. 1t is
| not the rights Of the individual that
| are concerned, but the rights of the
people and the community. 1t is dis
| couraging to meet with unjust criti-
| cism and opposition from sources
| where we should expect nothing but
the most emphatic Endorsement. How
ever one or a number of revesses
| should not discourage a man or stop
him in doing his duty. If a doctor
should cease practicing because he lost
a case or two he would make himself
| ridiculous"
In speaking of the situation yester-
| day, DR.. ]. w. Gum, one of the prom
| inent physicians of the city, said that
| so far as he knew there was no agree
ment among the doctors to report no
more smallpox cases.
| II know that on the contrary no
attempt has been made to conceal any
thing, and every doctor of my ac-
| quaintance has been reporting every
suspicious case promptly" he said. II
| think 1t is an injustice to the physi-
clans and their profession to accuse
them, or even suspect them, of enter
ing into any such compact"
Seven new cases of smallpox were
reported yesterday, four in the city
and three just outside the city limits.
| There are, besides, two cases that are
being watched, with the expectation
that they will develop into smallpox
| in day or two.
The victims of the disease who were
seen by DR.. Monroe are James Porter,
win and Miss B. c. Johnson. The
three cases outside the city are Mr..
and Mrs. Robert Satterthwaite and one
| of their children, who live in Pearl
| street.
Porter was picked up on the street
| hv Frank Delataur, one of the quaran
| tine guards, and taken to the alley in
| the rear of the city Jail. where he was
detained till his case could be passed
upon by DR.. Monroe. He was then
sent to the pest house. Porter said he
had only been in the city week and
had come from Helena.
| Mrs. Potter is the wife of George
Potter, meter inspector for the water
| company, and lives at 42o west Ialena
! street.
Arthur Goodwin was found suffering
with the disease in his room in the
Bernard block in West Granite street
| He refused to be sent to the pest
house and was quarantined in his
| room.
Miss Johnson lives at 107 South Mon
tana street. One of the suspects be-
ing watched is her brother who Is
down with a high fever and DR.. Mon
roe expects the case to develop into
smallpox.
The other suspect is man named
Elliott, whose case was reported by
| DIR. Hanson. DIR. Monroe, when he Wis
tied Elliott, did not find him broken
out, but he had the early symptoms
and is also expected to develop case
of the disease
| The Satterthwaites probably con-
traeted the disease from one of their
children. A little girl of the family
had smallpox in a mild form, and was
/ practically well when the mother was
stricken. Now both the mother and
the father and another child are down.
DR. Cowperthwaite reports still an
other case, that of a man whom, he
states, is suffering with smallpox at
Homestake.
The mans name was McCoombs and