Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-26
No New Cases Developed in the City
Today.
PRECAUTIONS OF TEE HEALTH OFFICE
Confidence That Disease Can Be
Kept Under Control.
HOSPITAL EQUIPM ENT


today developed at 941 H street, the house
in which two cases of the disease were
discovered yesterday. Last evening three
of the inmates were removed to the small
poX detention camp by the health depart
ment officials, two colored servants and a
Mr.. Hill, the latter having been room
mate of the two young men found suffering
from the disease yesterday. The rest of
the occupants will be kept confined until
the extreme period of incubation said to be
sixteen days, has expired, when, provided
no additional cases meantime develop, the
house and its inmates will be released from
quarantine.
1t transpires that one of the boarders at
the house. a Miss Ballinger, is a public
school teacher in one of the schools located
in the Berret building. 18th and Q streets.
The room in which Miss Ballinger's school
is located has been closed by order of the
health officer, and is today being thorough
ly disinfected. The children attending the
school Will be kept under surveillance by
the health department., and it is understood
all of them will be vaccinated. Another in
mate of the infected house, a child, has
been attending one of the schools located
in the Franklin building, 18th and X
streets, and this school room is also being
disinfected today, and will probably be kept
closed until all danger of infection shall
have passed. The children attending this
school will also be vaccinated, it is uuder-
stood, and every precaution taken which
the health department officials may deem
proper and necessary.
Cause of Removal.
The two colored servants who were last
evening removed to the detention camp
were taken there because it was found they
could not be accommodated at the house
where the two cases were discovered yes
terday, and Mr.. Hill was removed to the
camp because he had been room mate of
the patients. The sick men occupied the
top floor and for that reason there is less
likelihood of the others in the house hav-
ing come in direct contact with them after
they became i'll. The Bliss Electrical
School, which the afflicted young men at
tended, has been thoroughly disnfected,
and a watch will be maintained over stu
dents there who may have come in contact
with the sick men.
According to information obtained by the
health department, it appears that the only
place lately visited by Messrs. Stevens and
Grant, the afflicted men, is Alexandria, Va.
Together they visited Alexandria the 18th
instant, the day Of the sesqui-centennial
ceremonies there, as stated in yesterdays
Star, and as smallpox is reported to have
existed there at the time, it is believed by
the District health officer that they con
tracted the disease in that city. The day
Of the celebration was two weeks ago to-
day, and as the period of incubation is
said to seldom exceed fourteen days, it is
among those who visited the Virginia town
two weeks ago. The outbreak of the dis
ease here last season was attributed to its
presence in Alexandria, and, as it is still
said to exist there, that fact if it be a
fact, continues, of course the possibility
If not the probability, of its further de-
velopment here.
Heating Apparatus Nearly Completed.
1t is expected that the heating apparatus
now being installed in the District small
pox hospital will be completed in two or
three days, when those suffering from
smallpox will be removed there. This hos
pital, has been heretofore stated in The
Star, is splendidly equipped for the pur-
pose, and is considered as one of the best of
its kind in the country. In support of this
claim, and as evidence of the care and
treatment which patients receive at this
hospital, it is pointed out that, out of the
nearly 100 cases treated there during the
outbreak of the disease last season, but
one resulted fatally. OF course, every pre-
caution has been taken in the present in
stance, and will be taken, by the local
health department officials to prevent the
spread of smallpox, and the health officer
today expressed the belief that he will be
able to confne the disease to the house in
which the two cases were discovered yes
terday, 941 H street. The fact that one of
the inmates of the infected house has been
teaching public school, and that another
attended public school, while adding to
the serious nature of the situation, is not
DeneVed by the health officer to warrant
any great amount of alarm. Nor does he
feel that people should be greatly troubled
by the fact that the afflicted young men at
tended private Institution of learning.
Fortunately, there remains quite a large
amount Of the appropriation of 500, 900 made
by Congress the 2Sth of last February to
provide for the care of smallpox patients
and to prevent the spread of that and other
contagious diseases here, and with this bal
ance the health officer feels that he will be
enabled to fully accomplish the purposes
for which the appropriation was made.
Account for All but One.
The health department officials stated to-
day that they have accounted for all of the
inmates of the infected house but one, a
young man named Shaw. Mr.. Shaw, they
state, has been employed In a downtown
store, and as he did not report there this
morning it is supposed by the health de-
partment that he has gone back to his
home, said to be in Virginia. 1t is under
stood he did not come in personal contact
with the sick men, and therefore it is felt
that there is little, If any, danger to be ap-
pretended from his contact with others.