The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-02-11
SPECIAL SESSION
OF THE COUNCIL
TO STAMP OUT SMALLPOX
DR.. Henderson Employed as City
Physlcian-A Dispute Ami
cably Settled.

Inc CITY COUNCIL neld n special meet
ing last night pursuant 10 special
call issued for the purpose OF confirm
ing the temporary appointment Of Dr.
Henderson In the capacity Of city ply
sician DR.. Henderson had been called
to take charge OF case Of smail.po
In the Central hotel and during the alb
scnce Of Mayor Bergman from the city
the police authorities authorized DR..
Henderson 10 take charge Of the case
and 70 take every precautlon In the In
terest Of public health.
When the council met last night the
following communication was submit
ted by DR. Henderson,:
ITO the Mayor and Council:
In compliance with a request from
the committee on health and police ol
your honorable body, ! beg to submit
the following propositions:
"First--I viii act as city physician
performing the duties OF the incumbent
Of the office as provided by the water
charter an1 ordinances during the
present outbreak Of smallpox. at {
salary OF one hundred and fifty dollars
per month. II the outbreak should as
sumo epidemic proportions. rendering
II physically impossible for one man tc
do all the work necessary TO be done.
win ask the city council for q new
agreement. This agreement Is not e
apply II the bubonlc plague, AsiatiC
cholera or yellow fever inyades the
city. -.@.---,.
"second--I win act as city physician,
all the duties incumbent in the occu.
pancy Of that Office as prescribed BY
the charter and ordinances for a regu-
lar monthly salary OF $50 per month on
contract OF not less than one year
This agreement would not apply in
case OF an epedemio OF either smallpox.
scarlet fe1er or diphiheria. wherein II
would be physically impossible for one
man TO do the required amount Of
work. This proposition is not to apply
to any outbreak OF bubonic plague. yell
low fever or Asiatic cholera.
II. l.. HENDERSON, NJ. D.
Acting City Physician. .
Several members Of the council be.
lieved the amount suggested by DR.
Henderson to be greater than the city
could afford to pay. the suggestion be-
ing made that a physician be employed
TO care for the present emergency on
ly. This was argued down. however
and a motion was made and carried
without opposition. that DR.. Henderson
be appointed as city physician to serve
.or one year at salary Of $50 month.
Another ordinance was passed upon
the recommendation OF the health COM
mittee appropria ing $50 a month for
the proprietress of ;he Central hotel in
payment for the rooms occupied by the
smallpox patient. This action was
taken because Of the lack of a pest
house in this city, to which to remove
the sick man. II the city had a pest
house the question could have been
easily solved but il having none II was
At first thought best to put Sturgeon
and his wife in a scow at some isolated
place along the waterfront and have
the health officer treat them there This
was later decided against and that the
couple should be kept in rear third
story suit Of rooms in the hotel In
charge Of a nurse and guard and after
fumigating the balance OF the house to
free Il from quarantine.
An appropriation OF $40 was made for
lumber used in boarding up the upper
rooms of the house in which the pa
tient is located. This work has al
ready been done and an order has ac-
cordiugly been made to remove the
quarantine established on the hotel.