The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-01-13
HE is A MEDICAL STUDENT
AND ONTRACTED THE DISEASE
WHILE ON A VISIT HOME.
STATEMENT OF PRESIDENT ALDERMAN
It is Claimed That There is Little Danger Of
the Disease Spreading. Or. Lewis Says
His Two Sons viii Remain at
thn lIniversitv
the University.

Chapel Hill. y. c.. Jan. 12.-(Special)
"A case of small poX has developed in
the University. / interviewed President
Alderman and DIR. Richard Lewis this
afternoon and received the following
statements. There is absolutely no ex-
citement and I have heard of only one
student who will leave. The sick man
is resting easy tonight.
The statements of President Alderman
and DR.. Lewis are as follows:
Mr. j. r. Paddison, of Mt. Airy, q
medical student at the University, has
developed a definite case Of smallpox.
He was unyaccinated and contracted the
disease in Mt. Airy during Al visit to
his home. Mr. Paddison had chill on
Monday. the Sth He was sent to the
infirmary and placed in a separate
room there are no wards) on Tuesday
and on Thursday afternoon the irrup-
tion appeared. DR.. II. II. Whitehead,
the physician to the University, imne-
diately suspicioned smallpox and re-
quested that | summon Dr. Richard III.
Lewis, of Raleigh, in consultation. This
/ did by wire and DR.. Lewis arrived
Thursday evening. They agreed in pro-
nouncing the case small poX. DIR. Lewis
suggested that DIR. John Manning, or
Durham, who has had much practical
experience in the disease. be sent for
for absolute surety. DIR. Manning ar
rived early Friday morning and confirm
cd the diagnosis. There have been four
exposures to the contagion, so far as
known. Mr.. Paddison's roommate and
three others, two of whom Were not stu
dents. These have been isolated. These
exposures were on the first day or two OF
sickness and before the period of irrup-
ton and the physicians state that it is re-
garded as doubtful if the disease is CON
tagious until after the irruptive stage.
DIR. Whitehead has charge of the patient
and everything that science suggests viii
be done to care for the patient and to
prevent the spread of the disease. The in
frmary occupies an isolated position out
of reach of any Danger to the neighbor-
ing buildings and Mr. Paddison has been
provided. with immune nurses. DIR.
Charles S. Mangum will act as college
physician and DR.. Whitehead will not
come into contact with the students
announced the exact facts in the case
to all the students in the school today
at $50 and DR.. Lewis spoke to them on
the efficiency of vaccination. 1t was
found that only 62 students of the whole
body were unvaccinated. All students
unvaccinated and all those upon whom
vaccination had not taken successfully
in the past two years will be vaccinated
today and tomorrow. Others may be
vaccinated if they so desire. The town
of Chapel Hill has ordered compulsory
vaccination. In the judgment of the
physicians the common sense thing tt
do as we'll as the safest thing to do Is
for the students to remain at the Uni
versity and attend to their work. The
danger of further contagiOn, in the Opin
ion of the physicians. may practically
be disregarded. | have thought it wise
to make this prompt and frank statement
of the situation and state the judgment
of the physicians as to the proper course
TO be pursued by the students. 1t should
be well understood, however. that moth
ing will be done to detain at the Uni
versity any student whose parents may
desire him to leave. That question rests
with the parents. My own judgment
comedies with the physicians. 1t is just
TO the students themselves to say that
they received the information with good
sense and showed the right spirit of co
operation with the authorities in any
action they may think necessary.
edwin ALDERMAN,
president"
"I wish to say that the above is q
candid and complete statement of the
smallpox situation at the University
] regard the danger of the disease
spreading among the students as hardly
worth considering. Ny own two boys
who are students here. will remain.
RICHARD II. LEWIS, NJ. D.,
''Secty Board of Health.