Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-10
THE SMALLPOX CASES,
Authorities Taking Steps to Prevent
Spread of Disease

Gnu VI DascaSe.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star
HYATTSVILLE, Md, November 10, 1900.
Health Officer L. A. Griffith Of Prince
Georges county was in this village today
inquiring into the smallpox condition at
College Park and Hyattsville. The doctor
has ordered strict quarantine of all the
cases. and, 1t is understood. has secured
the services Of DR.. Lee of Berwyn. Md, to
look after the interests of the patients.
The county commissioners have invested
DR.. Griffith with the authority to use every
available means to prevent the spread of
the malady 1t is the intention of the doc
tor. should the disease become more prev
alent, to secure house in an Isolated sec
ton. furnish 1t with all necessities for
handling the disease and remove all of the
patients to that particular house. where a
physician and trained nurses will be in
attendance. He stated that the criticism
which had been accorded him by State
Health Officer Fulton for alleged indiffer-
ence was unjust; that he had used every
means in his power. after the cases had
been reported to him, to handle them in
proper manner. He also stated 1t was i'm
possible for him to get these patients to
pest hospital, COR the reason that 1t would
be dangerous to take them aboard a train
for Baltimore, and 1t was too far to take
them in a vehicle.
LIE OOclOT luTlner stated there mad been
but two cases brought to his notice, and
If others existed he knew nothing of them.
He said he had learned from sources other
than the reports made by practicing physi-
clans of suspected cases. but the law left
him powerless to act unless reported by
regular physician. He said everything is
being done to prevent the spread of the
disease. There have been no new cases
and all of the patients are doing nicely.
The District health officer has received a
notice from the secretary of the Maryland
state board of health that there are four
cases of smallpox at Hyattsville and Col
lege Park, Md, and that at the date of
the secretary's letter. the 9th instant, no
quarantine or isolation had been estab-
lished or disinfection or vaccination
made. 1t is understood here. however that
Dr. L. A. Griffith, physician to Prince
Georges county board of health, visited
the infected places yesterday and ordered
the establishment of a strict quarantine.
1t Is also understood that he endeavored to
secure physician to attend the afflicted
persons, stating that the county commits
sioners have vested him with full authority
10 act as he may deem necessary and proper
in the premises. Notwithstanding these
statements the secretary of the MARYLAND
state board of health yesterday wrote the
District health authorities that the inspec-
ton and notification at the Infected places
have been ineffective.
The District health department is MAIN
tanning as strict a watch over the Maryland
cases and the people living adjacent to
them as Is possible, and Is understood to
have notified two persons residing near the
patients that IL they again venture into the
detention camp for the usual period of
sixteen days AS the Maryland cases are
without the Jurisdiction of the District
health officer. he can do no more than
proper to prevent the spread of the disease
into the District.