Evening star., 1899-02-06
Increase in the Number of Smallpox
Patients Here.
PRECAUTIONS BY THE HEALTH OFFICE
The Disease Pronounced to Be of
Mild Type.
DANG ERS POINTED OUT


cases Of smallpox in the District has in
creased over 100 per cent, the number at
noon today being eight. while but three
cases were known to exist here Saturday.
Three cases were reported to DR.. w. e.
Woodward, the health officer. yesterday,
the afflicted persons being Esau Hill, col
ored, residing at 210G 11th street, and his
wife and their six-months-old child. This
morning two additional cases We're reported
to the health officer, the patients being
Hugh Haney, a celored man residing With
the Hill family, and James Curtin, an engi-
neer said to be employed on the Southern
railroad, residing at 623 Maryland avenue
southwest.
The members of the Hill family were
found to be suffering from a mild attack
OF the disease, as was Haney. Indeed, 1t
appears that the latter did not know that
he was afflicted with smallpox until after
an examination by the health office experts
today. He was not at the home of the
1amlly when they were removed to the
smallpox hospital yesterday. 1t is said he
has not been confined to his bed and II is
believed the family caught the disease from
hlm Although almost free from the dis
ease, he was, nevertheless, sent to the hos
pltal by DR.. Woodward.
Origin of Curtin Case
1t is supposed that Curtin. the railroad
engineer, contracted the disease either from
MS fireman, who resides in Alexandria, or
from visiting the latter place although the
fireman, so far as is known, is not and has
not been afflicted Curtin was promptly re-
moved to the hospital and his home as
well as that of the Hill family, was care
fully fumigated by the health. office a1-
thorities. Every effort is being made bv
the health officer to ascertain the history
OF the cases, well as to learn with whom
the patients have recently in
that every precaution may be PROMPTLY
taken to stamp out the disease and prevent
Its further spread
Serious Matter.
While the cases so far reported here are
said to be of mild character, that fact
is really very serious matter for. as DR.
Woodward pointed out today, in conversa-
ton with a Star reporter. the mildness of
the disease too often deceives the patient
and those with whom he comes in contact
causing them to believe that the affiiction
is something other than smallpox
This appears to be true of Hauev
the coIored man discovered to be suf-
fering from smallpox today So mild
was his attack that he did not even imagine
he was afflicted with it. nor did the Hill
family, with whom he resided One of the
results OF this ignorance is that he con-
Neyed the disease to the family. But even
more than this, he continued to go about
that way he may have conveyed the dis
ease to quite a number of other people as
person afflicted with only very mild
attack can not only infect others. but can
aIso create cases OF severe character.
Still Hopeful.
Or. Woodward, while admitting of
course, that the situation has taken a
more serious aspect, still feels that there
is no cause for general alarm. He has re-
celVed suggestions that a strict quarantine
be established and maintained against
Alexandria, where the disease is said to he
quite prevalent but Dr. Woodward doubts
the power of the District authorities TO es-
tabiish and maintain such a quarantine
Full authority and power TO do this is it
is said. lodged IN the President, and in sup
port OF this contention an act of Congress
approved March 27, 1890 to prevent the
INTRODUCTION of contagious diseases from
one state to another, is referred to. The
nrSt section OF the act reads as follows:
Ihat whenever it shall be made to an
pear to the satisfaction of the President
that cholera, yellow fever, smallpox or
prague exists in any state or territory or
in the District of Columbia, and that there
Is danger of the spread Of the disease into
other states, territories or the District of
Columbia, he is hereby authorized to cause
the Secretary Of the Treasury to promul-
gate such rules and regulations as i'm his
judgment may be necessary to prevent the
spread of such disease from one state or
territory into another, or from any state or
territory In the District of Columbia or
from the District of Columbia into anv
state or territory, and to employ such in
spectors and other persons as may be nee
esSary to execute such regulations to pre-
vent the spread of such disease The said
rules and regulations shall be prepared nv
the supervising surgeon general of the ma
rlne hospital service, under the direction
of the Secretary of the Treasury And anv
person who shall willfully violate any rule
or regulation so made and promulgated
shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor
and upon conviction shall be punished bv a
fine of not more than $500, or imprisonment
Tor not more than two years, or both in
the discretion of the court
Strict Inspection.
Under the provision of this act ii is said
that the President could cause the strictest
kind of a quarantine to be established and
maintained against Alexandria so long as
smallpox exists there. But in this connec-
ton, it is explained, the surgeon general of
the marine hospital service has maintained
Tor some time and is now maintaining a
strict inspection of the people travelling
between the two cities, although he has not
OF course, attempted to prevent the going
and coming of people between the two
cities. Nevertheless, there seems to be lit