The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-11-27
is IT SMALLPOX ?
DR.. Bradley Says ''Cuban
Chiekenpox" Is Nothing Else.
Has Had Much Experience With
the Disease.
ONLY A MILD FORM
Cases Are Not of ViruIent Char
acter.
Time For Board OF Health to
Take Radical Action.
ONLY A MILD FORM

Seventy cases of smallpox in Topeka.
This is rather an appalling condition,
but according to DR.. Charles Bradley,
formerly city physician, and now 1ocat-
ed at New Madrid, New Mexico, who
is visiting his parents here, it is a con-
dition which exists.
DR.. Bradley pronounces the so-called
Cuban chickenpox, which has been
prevalent in Topeka for a number of
weeks, to be a. mild form Of smallpox.
There are or have been in the neigh
borhood of 20 cases in the city.
While a student of medicine in To-
peka. several years ago DR.. Bradley
nursed smallpox patients during one
of the earlier outbreaks in this terri
tory. AS city physician he was called
upon to look after several cases of the
dread disease, and since removing to
New Mexico he has had yearly expert
ence with it. Shortly before coming to
| Topeka to visit his parents, he attended
upwards of 80 cases in the vicinity of
New Madrid.
I don't want in any way to inter-
fere with the health affairs of Topeka"
said DR.. Bradley today, but my opin-
ion is that there is a mild form of
smallpox in this city at present. have
seen some of the cases, and I believe
them to be cases of smallpox"
DR.. Bradley is by no means alone in
his opinion of the disease now preVa-
lent here. Several of the older and
most experienced physicians in TOpeka
selves that the disease is smallpox,
Their objection to public expression is
| due to the fact that the members of
| the board of health, whose duty it is
to look after the health of the city,
| declare that the disease is not smallpox.
! Several of the doctors who state that
| they believe the disease to be other
| than smallpox further state that they
| do not believe it to be chickenpox, Ac-
! cording to their admission, it is either
| a new disease, unheard of in medical
| annals, or smallpox. Doctors who hold
that that is smallpox laugh at the idea
| of a new disease-a cross between
| chickenpox and smallpox-and state
! positively that it is a mild form of the
| thoroughly dreaded disease.
| Whatever may have been the inten-
/ tiOnS of Mayor Drew and the members
! of the city board of health up to this
| time, it now becomes incumbent upon
| then to take steps to protect the peO-
| pie of Topeka against a further spread
| of the disease. DR.. Bradley is a repu-
| table physician with personal expert
ence in treating smallpox, and his de-
| cIaration that the disease now preva-
| lent here is a mild form of smallpox.
! makes it imperative that radical steps
| should be taken.
There is but one way to effectually
! quarantine smallpox. This is complete
! isolation. 1t may be secured by re-
/ moving all cases to one hospital or by
/ constructing high fences about dwell
! ings and employing guards to see that
there is no communication with outside
/ parties.
| At the time of the smallpox epidemic
| in Topeka about ten years ago the
I city board of health spent in the neigh
/ borhood of $4,000 in quaranttning cases.
| Fences were promptly built around
| dwellings and guards employed, and
| as a result a general spread OF. the
| disease was prevented.
The expenditure of several thousand
! Nv 10 cff n0 n
| to the possible loss of life and loss of
| earnings that may result from q. furth-
| er spread of the disease. Already it
has been responsible for one death, and
| earnings of families are now being cur
| tailed by the existence of the disease
| among working members. The fact
| that with few exceptions all the cases
! so far known of have been of a mild
| variety makes the lack of a strin gent
| quarantine no less eXcusable.
| There is but one thing for the city
tine must be enforced. Either a pest
/ house must be arranged for and all
cases removed there, or the city's fin
| anceS must be drawn upon for funds to
| build isolating fences and to pay
| guards.
Any further delay on the part of the
| city authorities will amount to crini-
| nal negligence. The disease has been
steadily spreading and the danger to
! the health of Topeka is daily increas-
! ing in consequence. If the members of
| the board of health do not wish to
| bring upon themselves the cOndemna-
ton of the citizens of Topeka they viii
| act at once.
DR.. T. W. Peers, city physician and
member of the city board of health said
today: I'VE are doing the best we can
to stop this epidemic of chickenpOx. A
pest house is not necessary. There are
not as many cases now as there has
been. At two places on Fourth street
| where there are cases the quarantine
rules have been broken and we have
placed two guards there, one at night
/ and one during the day. to enforce the
/ quarantine regulations. These are the
| only places I know of where the quar-
4antine is being broken. There is no
| trouble in the schools with the disease
| I had a talk with superintendent Dav-
| idson some time ago and he gave notice
| to all teachers to report all cases they
| find. All these cases reported have i'm
| nediately been Investigated. All child
| rem who have developed the disease
| have been sent home IMMEDIATELY and
tn health officers notified. The disease
| is least contagious at the beginning"
| DR.. W B. Swan, member of the city
| board of health and secretary of the
state board of health, said today: III
people are found violating the quaran-
| tine it viii be necessary for a house tC
| be secured in some isolated locality and
these people taken there. There is q
sanitary policeman in each ward to see
| that the quarantine rules are not
broken NeighbOrs have been asked tC
report all cases The trouble has beer
| in finding out where the cases are as
all are not attended by physicians.
| think a detention hospital should be the
last means Of caring for the disease Il
| the cases are herded together the NOR
| tality will be greater and the moving
| is to care for them at home as long a.
l it can be done. I believe that the peo.