The times., 1899-02-21
4 CRUSADE PLANNED
AGAINST SMALLPOX
Congress Will Be Asked to
Appropriate $4,000.
The Need of Funds With Which TO
Fight the Disease.
A Letter From the Commissioners to
the senate District ommittce
Urging Prompt Action.

The District Commissioners believe the
time has come when radical measures
should be adopted against spread OF small
pox. The subject was freely discussed yes
terday and the result was a decision 10 ask
Congress to appropriate 10000, to be i'm
mediately available, one-half out OF money
in the Treasury and one-half out of the
revenues of the District of Columbia, TO
enable the Commissioners TO provide for
the proper care of smallpox patients and
to prevent the spread of smallpox and
other contagious diseases, including 4
house to- house inspection and such com
pulsory vaccination as may be deemed nee
essary by the Health officer. in accordance
with existing laws.
The draft of joint resolution to this
effect was prepared and will be presented
to Senator Mcmillan, Chairman of the Sen
ate District Committee, by Commissioner
Wight today letter explaining the pres
ent smallpox situation has also been pre-
pared. and it will be laid before the Senate
District Committee today by the Commits
sioners. II says in part:
Smallpox is now in the city, and the CoTmis-
siorcrs have. every reason Ia believe that il i
taken 10 stamp out. From careful Investigation
OF the whole situation the Health Officer reports
TO the Commissioners that there is grave appre-
hcnsion of a spread Of this disease in the
munity. owing largely to the fact that those
persons already confined in the smallpox hospital
are known have been in close contact with
Others in thickly populated buildings and por-
tionS OF the city. II would be the greatest possi-
ble misfortune il this disease should scatter
throughout the city at any time, but especially
so at this time, when many officials and
strangers arc here incident the meetings Of
Congress. The health and lives Of the President
and his Cabinet and of officials Of all degrees,
we'll a. OF members Of Congress and the residents,
makes ii essentially important that nothing
should he lett Undone TO eradicate the trouble at
the earliest possible moment. Attention Is IN
vited TO the fact that the disease exists in the
workhouse. from which it is possible that other
cases may follow.
The appropriation asked for Is for The employ
mcnt Of the necessary physicians, vatchmen to
guard quarantined premises, food and fuel for
such cases may need it in quarantined houses,
and for the maintenance Of the smallpox hospital.
The hospital itself has accommodations for about
forty patients. and is about half fall. Should it
be necessary to accommodate more than this
number the Commissioners would he Obliged to
erect frame structure for the use of the addi
tional patients. This expense would he met from
the amount asked for in this resolution In the
city of Alexandria. only eight miles from Wash.
population OF eighteen thousand. A copy Of the
report OF the Health Officer is herewith
closed, 10 which attention is respectfully in
vited.
The smallpox situation at the workhousc
is peculiar Several cases have developed
there and number of suspects have been
placed under surveillance The building
has been quarantined and is being thor
oughly disinfected by the officials of the
Health Office and the Police Department.
There are a number of persons confined
in the building for various violations of
the police regulations however, and they
have been compelled to live in close quar-
ters. The workhouse has had within its
walls during the last few months several
hundred more prisoners than there are ac-
commodations for. They have been COM
PEELED TO use the dining room as a dormi-
tory. and many Of the inmates have slept
on the floor. Smallpox broke out and the
state of affairs became alarming The in
mates of the workhouse and the aims
house were to be vaccinated at once. but
not all Of them would submit. II is among
these that the disease has spread.
No offenders were sentenced to the work.
house yesterday on account of this condi-
tion OF affairs Some other place of CON
hnement must be had and the Commission
ers will act in this matter today No more
prisoners Will be sent TO the workhouse
until the quarantine is lifted.