The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-10
He FEARS AN EPIDEMIC
The Smallpox Situation Begins
to Look Serious.
FOUR CASES YESTERDAY
The Worst Is Feared Unless Rigid Regu-
lations are Enforced Again-The
Disease Is Rapidly
Spreading.

The smallpox situation is once more
taking on serious aspect, SO much
so that DR.. Monroe, who looks after
smallpox cases for the city and county.
fears a widespread epidemic unless the
rigid regulations that were enforced by
Health Officer DR.. Alexander, until the
council took hand in the matter and
countermanded his orders, are returned
to. The spread for the past week has
been at the rate of two cases a day up
to yesterday, when four cases de-
veloped If this continues, it will not
be long before the pest houses facilities
will be overtaxed, and as the weather
is approaching the kind when smallpox
becomes malignant, DR.. Monroe feels
that the situation is certainly worthy of
serious consideration.
After sending two new patients to the
pest house yesterday, Dr. Monroe called
on Mayor Mccarthy to inquire what
he was to do in the event more cases
developed before the new building to be
erected by the commissioners is COM
pleted. DR.. Monroe stated that it was
his understanding that with the two
cases sent out yesterday, the pest
to know how to act, should the steady
spread of the past week continue. He
also recommended return to the rigid
quarantine that was maintained when
the disease first broke out.
I'VE have been very fortunate" said
DR.. Monroe, in discussing the Situa ton,
in having the disease in benign form.
There have been but a very few cases
of continent smallpox and I think per-
haps none of the malignant black
smallpox unless it was that of Wocott.
There has. therefore, been nothing es
pecially alarming in the situation up
to date, but the weather is getting cold
er and with it the cases that are now
developing are more of them of the
continent type. These are usually the
conditions attending the outbreak of
an epidemic, and if the further rule
that generally holds good obtains in
this case, we may expect malignant
smallpox to follow and then people will
begin to die. I really fear serious
condition of affairs if rigid measures
are not adopted"
Mayor Mccarthy directed Dr. Mon
roe to handle the matter as best be
could till tomorrow and promised to
call a special meeting of the council
for tomorrow night to consider the best
means to be adopted. Mayor Mccarthy
stated that a suggestion made by DR..
Monroe would probably be acted upon.
1t was to secure some place on the out
skirts of the city where cases just de-
veloping could be taken and care1 fer
In their preliminary stages, and by this
means he thought the situation could
be COPIED with till the new building, at
the pest house, is finished.
Telephone communication with The
pest house last evening ELECTED the in
formation that DR.. Monroe was wrong
ly informed as to the present facilities
ic Sti
at the old pest house for several cases,
and that there will be some discharged
tomorrow. This. it was thought by
the pest house officials, would furnish
sufficient accommodations for present
emergencies, or until the new building
is completed, as the building is .aplly
nearing completion.
The pitiful side of the smallpox was
shown in one of the cases that develop
ed yesterday. Joseph Haderly, a young
man who spends most of mis- time in the
pool rooms of the city and who is
known among his friends as Red
Duffy" appeared at the city hall in
quest of a physician. He met Mayor
Mccarthy in Jail alley and startled that
officer by announcing he had smallpox.
His face was broken out. and it was
quite obvious that he had the correct
belief. He was not very heavily clad
and was shivering with the cold There
was no place to send him, and he was
obliged to remain in the cold while a
messenger was hastily dispatched for
DR.. Monroe. Mayor Mccarthy seat for
a blanket. which was wrapped around
the unfortunate man to keep him from
chilling while the doctor was coming.
The pitiful part of the situation was TO
see how people stunned the unfortunate
fellow as they would leper When DR..
Monroe arrived and pronounced the case
smallpox. and Haderly was sent to the
pest house.
One of the other cases discovered yes
terday was that of Joseph Taylor. a
colored man, to whom DR.. MOnroe's at
tention was called a day or two ago, bu.
he did not succeed in finding him till
yesterday, when he was found in a col
ored barber shop in North Main street.
He was at once sent to the pest house.
The other cases We're j. E. Lee, who
lives in the lodging house over the Pal
ace stables in South Main street, and
Lawrence Manning, a young man who
lives with his people at 215 North Idaho
street Both of these wee discovered
by DIR. Monroe late last evening The
lodging house was Quarantined and
Lee will probably be sent to the pest
house. The Manning residence was also
quarantined, but as it is private
house, the young man will be allowed
tn be cared for at home.
Mrs Stella. Lucas, whose case devel-
oped the day before, was sent to the
pest house yesterday.