The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-21

MILD CASE DISCOVERED ON BE.
AVENUE, THIS CITY.
DIR. Hurry Speaks of the State Board
Dnemma-New Cases i'm tYigO
County.

A case of well-defined smallpox has been
discovered at $50 Beville avenue The per-
son attacked is A. c.. Burnham, former
resident of Clay City, who visited that
town a short time ago, and is believed to
have contracted the disease while there.
Yesterday morning his face was broken
out with an eruption which DR.. ]. +. Rob-
ertson, the family physician, at once dag
nosed as smallpox. DR.. Robertson immedi-
ately reported the case to the Board of
Health, and DIR. c. E. Ferguson was sent
to investigate. He pronounced the disease
to be a genuine case of smallpox, but said
it was of very mild form. The house has
been quarantined, and as no outsiders have
been exposed to the disease, no apprehen-
sion is felt that it will become epidemic.
DR.. Ferguson said yesterday that if Mr..
Burnham's condition became serious, he
would be removed to the pavilion for con-
tagious diseases in the City Hospital as
there is no pesthouse for such cases in the
city.
The probable need OF a pesthouse has
awakened the City Board of Health TO i'm
mediate action, and joint meeting of the
Board of Public Works and the Board of
Health has been arranged for tomorrow
night, at which time plans will be dis
cussed for the erection of a pesthouse on
the City Hospital grounds.
DR.. Hurry, secretary of the State Board
of Health, received a letter from Dr. May
field, health officer of Washington county,
late last evening, in which he stated that
he had just returned from two days trip
through the northern part OF Washington
county, the same territory in which DR..
Robertson, of this city, diagnosed the sup
posed cases of chicken-pox, as smallpox.
DR.. Mayfeld confirms DR.. Robertson's dag
nosis. and says that he insisted on VAGINA
ton, but the people were TO incensed be-
cause he had diagnosed the disease as
smallpox that they Indignantly refused Il
permit him to vaccinate them. He added,
that as the people would not protect them
selves he was compelled TO establish
quarantine, which he would maintain for
period of two weeks, or until the period OF
incubation had passed.
DR.. Hurry also received a letter from DR..
Talbot, health officer of Vigo county, who
says he has found several new cases In
Terre Haute, and in none or these cases
has a doctor been called. n rigid quaran-
tine is being Enforced and he particularly
calls attention 10 the service that is being
afforded the local Board OF Health by the
officers OF the Evansville Indianapolis
Railroad Company, who have given orders
that all coaches passing through the city
of Terre Haute must be disinfected, and
have instructed the conductors not TO carry
any passengers suspected or having the
disease. a communication 10 the INDIANA
State Board of Health from the State
Board of Health of Illinois says that IL
finds itself in practically the same position
as the State Board of Health Of Indiana:
DIR. Johnson. a member of the Illinois board
and a resident of Champagne. H.. was
sent by his board TO investigate an erup-
tive disease which was raging in the south
ern part of Illinois. and narrowly escaped
being mobbed because he diagnosed the
disease smallpox.
In speaking of the dilemma Of the State
Board OF Health, last night. DR.. Hurry said
he could not understand how the citizens
OF this country could be so foolish. Said
he: I'm ignorant and superstitious Spain
when the people were attacked with the
dreadful scourge of cholera they mis-
treated those who brought them succor,
but who would have thought that almost
the same conditions would prevail under
similar circumstances In the advanced state
of civilization supposed TO prevail In this
country? Nevertheless, IL is true, AMI II