The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-17
He HAD THE SYMPTOMS
Many Witnesses Testify in the
DR.. Hanson Case.
IN A TANGLE OF TERMS
Examination OF Physicians Who dag
nosed the Case Rigidly CUES
toned by Attorneys for
the Defense.

Attorneys George Haldorn and W. NJ.
Bickford did not know about smallpox
before yesterday, but if there are any
characteristics of the disease they are
not familiar with now it Is because
they forgot to inquire about them dur
yesterdays session of the trial in the
police court of Dr. H. H. Hanson for
failing to report to the board of health
case of smallpox. The trial was re-
sumed at half past o'clock yesterday
afternoon and the session lasted till
= o'clock and the city's case was not
yet completed. At that time an adj
journment was taken to 10 o'clock to-
morrow morning.
The entire afternoon was taken up
with the examination of the physicians
who diagnosed the case of Charles Nc
Giants and appeared as witnesses for
the city. The lawyers in the case ex-
posed their knowledge and lack of
knowledge of smallpox by the most
searching examination of the doctors
and went into every phase of the dis
ease from invasion to convalescence,
the one side. to show that DR.. Hanson
Wilfully failed to report the case to
the health officers, and the other to
show that at best it was very diff
cult to make an accurate diagnosis of
McCants' case and that the medical
men who testified for the city We're
quite as likely to be wrong as DR..
Hanson and the others who do not
think McCants has smallpox. In their
juggling with unpronounceable medi-
cal terms the legal gentlemen frequent
~ found themselves up against it. fur
| nishing considerable amusement for
the big crowd of spectators who had
assembled to hear the testimony.
All the doctors who gave evidence
gave expression to very positive con-
viction that McCants is suffering with
smallpox, and in defining their reasons
for the belief said they inquired of Nc
Giants the history of his case and learn
ed that in the earliest stages of his
sickness he had chills, fever, back
ache, vomiting and other symptoms of
smallpox. When they saw the patient
they said he was in the advanced
stages Of the disease, and showed erup-
lions on his hands, face and body, some
of which were in the pustular some in
the umbilcated form and some heal
ing and scaling Off The defense rig
idly cross-examined the doctors as Ia
their .kno Wedge of smallpox, seeking to
show, in the main, that it is very diff
ficult to distinguish between smallpox
in the early stage of the eruption and
the various forms Of acne and impetigo
contagiosa, apparently revealing that
the defense will be an effort to show
by other medical men that McCants
suffers, not from smallpox, but from
one or the other of these diseases.
AT the opening of court Judge Bick-
ford presented to the court certificate
signed by DR.. Dogge, stating DR.. Loe-
blnger had sustained an injury by fall
ing and could not be in court. Judge
Bickford then stated that DR.. Loebin-
ger was material witness; said he
desired either a continuance or that
T0r> mol hi rnrfS ID to1r
The latter was agreed to.
The defense then asked for a con-
tinuance on the ground that McCants
had not been subpenaed, and in sup
port of the motion filed an affidavit set
ting forth that the defendant had tried
to have McCants subpenaed, but per-
mission to have him brought into court
had been refused; that McCants was
the only witness who could testify to
the knowledge possessed by him; that
If he were present he would testify that
when the defendant was called TO at
tend him he was suffering from severe
pains in the lungs and coughed inces-
sanity; that he never experienced any
pains in the back nor vomiting; that
the eruption or pimpIes which appeared
on him did not make their appearance
till after he had taken the medicines
prescribed by the defendant.
City Attorney Lamb agreed that the
testify to the statement contained in
the affidavit, provided the testimony
might be impeached without laying the
customary foundation. This was
agreed to and the trial went ahead,
the motion for the continuance being
denied.
DR.. Alexander, the health officer was
then called. He testified to finding Nc
Giants last Monday suffering from
smallpox. The usual symptoms of the
discreet form of smallpox in it's ninth
or tenth day We're described as existing
In the case MeCants told the witness
he was being treated by DR.. H. H. |
Hanson. Witness added that the case
had never been reported to the board |
of health by DR.. Hanson
the cross-eXa1nination was conducted |
by Attorney Haldorn and was very
technical, an effort being made to show
that it was very difficult to distinguish
between the first eruption in smallpox
and eruptions caused by the use of GER
tain drugs, as in acne, etc. DR. Alex
ander said it was very easy to dis
tinguish between smallpox and such
eruptions.
DR.. J. C. Johnston testified to being
called by DR.. Alexander to see Nc
Giants. He diagnosed the case as vari-
oloid. Mr.. Haldorn objected to the |
testimony on the ground that Dr. Han |
son was charged with concealing a |
case OF SlIidlipSA. iHe dbjectlOn was |
overruled and the witness described the |
disease as the previous witness had |
done and said there could be no doubt |
the case was variolofd or a modified |
form of smallpox.
DR.. J. S. Hammond told of being |
called to see McCants after he was re-
moved to 233 South Main street. He |
found the patient suffering from a we'll |
defined case of variOloid.
DR.. NJ, G. MacNeVin said he dag
nosed the case as VarioloId on the
same day that it was so diagnosed by |
Drs. Alexander and Johnston.
DR. McCrinmon, who said he was
physician at the pest house during the
last previous epidemic, said he was