The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-29
TO AVOID AN EPIDEMIC
BOARD Of HEALTH SEES DANGER IN
PUBLIC GATHERINGS.
Precautionary Measures Taken
Against the Spread of Smallpox
Council Meeting Called.

After a conference of the members of the
Board Of Health yesterday, DR.. E. D. Clark
secretary of the board, was directed to is
sue public request for all persons to re-
main away from churches, theaters and
public gatherings of any character during
the danger of a smallpox epidemic. The
board has not made this an order so far
but asks people of their own volition to
avoid as much as possible going into pro-
miscuous assemblages where they are liable
to come in contact with those who have the
disease in its primary stages, or who have
been exposed to it themselves and carry
the germs in their clothing. "Above all
things the board would caution people to
refrain from visiting the SICK said DR.
Clark There are many diseases that re-
semble smallpox the first three or four
days, and it is difficult to diagnose the
cases. Those becoming i'll should call
physician and have their cases diagnosed"
DR.. Clark appeared unwilling to mention
the first symptoms of the disease, fearing
that many people would become unneces-
sarily alarmed. The grip, for instance, be-
gins about the same way as smallpox,
fever and pains in the back and head.
man suffering with the first stages Of the
disease, which continues three or four days
before the eruption comes, could infect
others He might also infect them at any
time after receiving his own exposure by
carrying the microbe in his clothes.
Mayor Taggart conferred with the health
authorities and Controller Johnson yester-
day, and decided to call a special meeting
of the Council for tomorrow night to make
an emergency appropriation for the Board
Of Health. The only fund available is $500
nd
has already been about exhausted. All
houses quarantined are watched by two
men night and day, so that four are re-
quired for each. There are seven sets of
men watching, some of them guarding two
houses at a time, beside which one man
watches the Second Baptist Church until 10
o'clock at night. There are twenty-nine
men on guard, of which six are regular in
spectors on the board. This leaves twenty
three to be paid 1925 a day. or $51.75 a day
for policing the suspected houses, as well
as those from which patients have been
taken to the pesthouse. In the houses I'M
der quarantine there are about forty peo-
pie. These are furnished provisions and fuel
by the board no inconsiderable item. The
daily expense win be pretty heavy if many
more cases are discovered or suspected
houses found.
RUMOR OF ANOTHER CASE.
Yesterday it was reported to the board
that a colored woman on Lincoln lane had
the disease. DIR. Wagner was sent to dag
nose it. Up to 6 o'clock last night the case
had not been confirmed.
On investigation yesterday DR.. Clark as
certained that the grandmother of the little
Kuetemeier children, living on Spann ave-
rue, had visited them. She and her hus-
band were placed under quarantine, but on a
promise to remain indoors they were not
watched. A red card as large as an open
newspaper with the word "Quarantined"
warns visitors TO remain away from their
home at GIG East Market street 1t was also
discovered that Kuetemeier's neighbOr Mr.
Booker, visited the house on Monday after
the children became Ill, and his family was
also quarantined The school which the
children attended on Fletcher avenue closed
for the week Friday evening. An order has
been made to keep It closed. The little
Kuetemeier children became Ill at school
last Monday. The health officials are I'M
able to estimate in any way to what extent
other children about them were exposed. A
report that number of mail carriers had
visited the mail carriers family was dis
credited by DR.. Clark, who said he had no
information confirming the report. There
vas some uneasiness among the postal en-
plOyeS yesterday morning when they learned
of Kuetemeier's case but Postmaster Hess
did not think they were in any danger from
that source. The carriers and clerks have
all been vaccinated and the postmaster said
every precaution possible was being taken
to prevent spread of the disease Some
days ago it was announced that all pupils
of the public schools must be vaccinated or
remain away from the schools after to-
morrow, unless they have physicians GER
tificates showing that they had been vac
cinated previous to the order.
City employees have been requested to be
vaccinated, and yesterday afternoon Mayor
Taggart and Controller Johnson themselves
set the example. In the afternoon a throng
of clerks inspectors and other employees
with barred arms were waiting for DR.. Clark
to insert the vaccine.
The coming week unusual precautions will
hp a yan "
the first case was discovered. The ordinary
period of incubation of the germs after they
are contracted is from eight or nine to fif-
teen days. although in rare instances it does
not develop for twenty days.