Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-02-13
WATERVILLE.
OR. LasERee SAYS SMALLPOX
And There Is q Great Rush 10 Be vaeciaaied
Al Waierviilc.

That there is smallpox in this city is
now settled beyond Il reasonable doubt
in the minds Of the majority OF the
people in the city. DR.. Louis Laberge
the health officer of Montreal. having
given his opinion in the matter. There
is not. however. said DR.. Laberge.
Saturday evening. TO journal re-
porter, ANY cause for. alarm. With
the proper precautions and restrictions
the disease may be stamped out from
the city inside of a month" .,
DIR. Laberge came to this city at the
request of some OF the French people
that their minds might be satisfied
whether or not the disease was small
poX. The people who have been re-
strained In the houses by the quaran-
tine have been chatting for nearly a
week at the restrictions placed on them
by the board Of health. On account of
the mild form of the disease they have
believed that the trouble was not
caused by smallpox but by some other
disease.
The report that there was no small
pox in the city. has spread so that the
people were fairly divided among
themselves. This was caused in part
by the declaration of some of the ply
sicians that there was no smallpox in
the city,. All kinds of abuse has been
heaped on the heads of physicians and
everyone else who has taken the stand
that there was smallpox in town.
DR.. Laberge arrived in this city on
the Pullman. Saturday morning. Dur
ing the forenoon he was in consultation
With the members OF the board of
health and permission was readily
given for him to visit the patients who
had been pronounced to be afflicted
with the smallpox. So hearty was the
corporation that during the afternoon
DR.. i. G. Bunker. the secretary of the
board. accompanied him to three of the
houses under quarantine. When the
calls were over he met the members of
the physicians and to, them made
known his opinion.
President Smith of the State board Of
health. was in town. Friday night. and
before he left. Saturday afternoon. had
advised the local board to- continue the
treatment. in the same manner in
which it was being carried on
The manner in which DIR. I4abcrge in
spected the patients gained at once the
highest respect from the best physi-
clans In twon. Before he went into n
house he ,donned q suit of Ovcralls and
Jumper. the latter fitting tightly ut the
neck and wrists 50 that the germs
might not touch his clothing beneath.
ALFRED in this manner he visited the
houses and made a careful cXamin;A-
ton OF the patients. Having. made his
examination he left the house and
washed his face neck and hair in Il
solution Of bichloride OF mercury. uo
then treated his ovcralls and Jumper
In the same manner. by this method
he utterly destroyed the possibility of
the germs from one house to
DIR. LabcrSe was the observed of all
observers while he was in this city.
While it was partially his mission that
made him the center OF attraction, yet
his fine physique and military bearing
was none the less a cause for his ex-
citing so much attention. He is man1
Of perhaps So years but SO well is he
preserved that he. would he taken for
a man of not over 40 years. Tall OF
statue and well proportional he Is a
nan who would attract attention any,
where. The Unborn graces of his ma
were manifest in every move
nent and action. So favorable was the
which he created among the
members of the medical profession
hat all expressed much pleasure in
having met him. !; 4
When first seen at the Elmwood,
where he was stopping. by Journal I
'eporter. he said that he was not here |
Is an expert in smallpox cases but had I
,ome at the request Of some of the i
French people. At that time he had /
lot seen any Of the patients. having I
'een in consultation with the members
4 the board OF health. After lie had
xamineds the patients he readily
,ranted an Interview.
II visited three cases" said DR.. La
verge. 1.-The first was 50 mild. that,
lad seen no others. !. should have
it a case Of chickenpOx.
he other cases were smallpox with
ut question. Those we're the cases OF
Higgins and Pomeleau. Higgins case