The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-01-25

Which Are Confined to Children
with the Understanding That
They Are to Be Treated as SMALL
pOx, Although 1t Is of Mild Form.
From the best information procurable
it is estimated that there are about thirty
cases of smallpox in the city at the pres
ent time. Health Commissioner A. K
Norton was yesterday afternoon removed
from jurisdiction over these cases by the
board Of public health, and DR.. A A.
Law, late surgeon of the Thirteenth MIN
nesota volunteers, has been appointed as
sistant commissioner, with exclusive au-
thority in these cases. DR.. Norton is still
in charge Of the rest Of the work of the
office: Mayor Gray stated yesterday aft
ernoon, just before the meeting Of the
board, that if this city had a decent char
ter, and he had the power, he would have
suspended DR.. Norton when he heard of
the Western avenue case, and that he
would not have waited for this more re-
cent case on Vine place before taking ac-
ton.
The Vine place case was discovered
Tuesday, and the residence of P. E. Ber-
rington is quarantined, owing to the ill
ness of a siX-year-old daughter. The dis
ease from which the child Is suffering has
been diagnosed as smallpox by several
physicians, but DR.. Norton, the city
health commissioner, insists that the case
is one of ordinary chicken-poX, and that
there are many similar cases in the city.
Mayor Gray said just before the meet
ing: 81 do not care what DR.. Norton or
any other physician says about those
cases on Western avenue, l am satisfied
that they are smallpox and added, rath-
er significantly:
"If the case on Vine place proves to
be smallpox DR.. Norton will not re-
sign
HEALTH BOARD CALLED.
Mayor Gray called a special meeting
of the board yesterday afternoon for the
purpose of considering the reported out
break and to take some measures for the
prevention of the spread of the dis
ease.
DR.. H. M. Bracken, secretary of the
state board Of health, was present. He
spoke of the diagnosis of the case by
number of prominent physicians and
said that notwithstanding the fact that
DR. Norton still insisted that the disease
was nothing more than chickenpoX, the
young girl had the smallpox. DR.. Brack~
en- stated that it was not merely mat
ter OF opinion with him, but that he
knew positively that the disease was
smallpox DIR. Bracken has during his
medical practice seen a great many
cases of smallpox, and in his capacity
of secretary of the state board Of health
last year had occasion to inspect some
200 cases.
DR.. Bracken said that the disease To-
cally was in a mild form and that this
fact was probably responsible for DR..
Norton's failure to recognize 1t as small
pox, but from the diagnosis of the sey-
eral physicians who had seen the child
it was apparent that the
DISEASE WAS SMALLPOX,
and that as DR.. Norton does not seem
to recognize the disease it was incum-
bent upon the board to put some one Iii
charge who IS known to be competent.
Dr. Norton still insists that the disease
is nothing but chickenpoX. Dr. A. A.
Law was selected to serve as small
pox expert.
DIR. Law supersedes DR.. Norton in the
health department as far as smallpox
goes. He will examine all the cases re-
ported, and will be Judge as to whether
or not the sick persons are afflicted with
smallpox or some other malady. What
DIR. Law will say will go in the health
office. and when he decides that house
must be placed under quarantine 1t Will
be placed in quarantine.
The case of the little daughter of P.
E. Bennington, now sick at 141S Vine
place. is not the only case of smallpox
in which DR.. Norton has differed from
the attending physicians in the diagnosis
of the case Three local physicians
yesterday telephoned Secretary Bracken
that they had had smallpox cases and
that Dr. Norton had inspected them and
declared the disease nothing but chick
enpoX.
SCHOOLS NOT INTERRUPTED.
The schoof board has not been officially
notified of the existence of smallpox in
Minneapolis, and no action will be taken
for the present at least. Some weeks ago
the board suspended until April 10 the
rule that all pupils on entering schoof
must submit a certificate of vaccination.
The supreme court some time ago held
that the school boards had no authority
to compel vaccination. The law Great
ing the Minneapolis health department
provides that under certain conditions
it will be possible for the department to
cause all persons residing in infected To-
calities to be vaccinated. Whether this
power will be exercised depends upon the
spread of the plague.