The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-23
FOUND MORE SMALLPOX
CASE OF ELMER DIXON, COLORED,
DISCOVERED YESTERDAY.
City Health Officers VIII Maintain "a
Strict unrantine-Nil1iam Mid
dIetOn's Condition.

After discovering more smallpox yester-
day. DR.. E. D. Clark, secretary of the
Board of Health, last night said he would
not be at all surprised if an epidemic were
TO break out
DO you consider it advisable for people
to be vaccinated?" he was asked.
Yes; | would certainly recommend that
all children be vaccinated that have not
been already, as we'll as all adults who have
not been in the last seven years
One reason which leads Dr. Clark to think
an epidemic is possible is that William Mid
dleton whose case was discovered Saturday,
walked about the city two or three days
after his first symptoms Of the disease APP
peared in his case. 1t is known that he Wis
tied places on Indiana avenue. Yesterday
one of his friends Elmer Dixon, was found
to be suffering with the smallpox. DR.. Clark
yesterday located the brother-in-law of Mid
dleton as being Josiah Churchall, of No. 81
Dearborn street, in the extreme eastern edge
of the city. 1t was ChurchalPs child that
had been reported as having the chicken
pox." The Board of Health officers were
retarded in their efforts to get information
but late in the evening learned that the
child had recovered and is now well. No
physician was called in while it was i'll. For
fear the child really had the smallpox in
stead of Chicken poX,' DR.. Clark ordered
Churchalfs house quarantined and arranged
to have two guards watch over it night and
day, as well as over the Middleton house,
the Dixon house, No 2Ol1 Alvord street, and
the house next door to the latter, the in
mates of which visited back and forth with
the Dixon family frequently DIR. Clark has
not yet learned whether there were any
,,lI
ed the schools, but al present thinks the af-
fiicted child was too young to be in school.
This phase of the matter will be taken up
to-day, when efforts will be made to find if
children from either of the quarantined
families were in school. Ali those cases dis
covered so far are in colored families. Last
night Dr. Clark had no official confirmation
of a report that two more members of the
Middleton family were suffering with the
disease, although he said he had heard
report TO that effect.
Elmer Dixon eighteen years old, whose
case was discovered yesterday, is the son
of William Dixon, a barber, employed in
one of the downtown shops He was at
work yesterday morning and was summoned
home on account of his sons illness. After
entering the house he was not permitted to
leave. number of DixOn's regular patrons
were much alarmed yesterday on hearing
that a case of smallpox had been discovered
in his family after he shaved them yester-
day DR.. Clark is satisfied that there is no
doubt of the disease, as the diagnosis of the
physician first called in has been confirmed
by DIR. T. A. Wagner, who is immune and
is an expert. DR.. Wagner himself suffered
with the disease, and is, of course, safe, as
smallpox cannot be contracted a second
time.
William Middleton, of Spring street. was
yesterday removed to the pesthouse and
placed under the care of an immune nurse,
xr-an hoe hoo n~rad ftanr haf Tl7s
Kistner, who has charge of the ward of
contagious diseases at the City Hospital,
attending him. Elmer Dixon will also be
taken there to-day. DR.. Clark says that
while the pesthouse is by no means a pail
ace, 1t is comfortable, and fifteen or twenty
patients can be cared for. Word came from
DR.. Kistner last night that Middleton was
sitting up and eating, that his pulse was
normal and that he had no fever. The
physician thinks the case mild one.
The pesthouse Is half mile north of the
City Hospital, on Fall creek. 1t has two
rooms and is elevated above the ground on
poles. 1t is heated by stoves. About eight
years ago the old pesthouse was burned by
the city health authorities. 1t had been
made a playhouse by children The day
after it was destroyed case of smallpox
developed and it was necessary TO build
the present pesthouse.
A most strict quarantine is maintained
over the four houses that are suspected.
Two men stand on guard all the while, be-
ing relieved by others at regular intervals.
Groceries and provisions are taken into the
yards by the health officers and deposited
where the inmates may come for them.
Physicians are required by the Board of
Health 10 at once communicate any sus-
picious cases that come under their notice.
Between April and November there were
ga cases of smallpox in northern Ohio, and
out of that number only six deaths. The
epidemic followed the course of an Uncle
Toms Cabin show These cases were very
mild, but they were undoubtedly smallpox.
few cases have occurred recently in this
State, particularly near the Ohio line For
a time there was fear of the disease getting
into Fort Wayne. and at least one case
was found in Richmond