The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-20
SMALLPOX IN MARYLAND.
The Allegations of Prince George
Authorities Disputed.

DR.. L. A. Griffith, Health Officer of
Prince George county. Nd, has made an
other official visit upon the persons suf-
fering with smallpox at Hyattsville,
Lakeland, and College Park. He reports
no new cases, and states that the sick are
doing we'll He also states that the dis
ease is Of the mildest type, so that the
patients have not, except in one case,
been confined to their beds. He reports
FIVE cases, but states that they are away
from the public highway. and he fears no
further spread of the disease.
DR.. Griffith makes the statement that
every case of smallpox il the county for
the past five years, including the first
case of the present outbreak, has been
traced to the District of Columbia yet he
says the authorities of the District are
now finding the most fault with the man
agement of the cases by the Maryland Of
ficials. He says that "if they had taken
as good care of their own sick as they
insist that we shall take of ours there
would have been no cases in Prince
George county"
Acting Health Officer H. c. Mclean was
shown a despatch containing the report
Of Or. Griffith and stated that il might be
true that some of the cases of smallpox in
Prince George county had been carried there
from the District, but he said the implica-
ton Of DIR. Griffith in regard to the mat
ter certainly was not based on facts. Mr..
Mclean said that the present outbreak Of
smallpox in Hyattsville and vicinity had its
origin from a case in the District last July,
but that it was solely on account OF the neg
lect of the Prince George authorities that
the disease spread and had lasted until the
present time.
Mr.. Mclean stated that a colored girl by
the name of Crowdy was taken i'll with
smallpox in Southwest Washington in the
month of July. A brother of this girl
living at Lakeland, he said, visited his
sister at time when the disease could be
communicated. This was Rev. Joseph
Crowdy. of Lakeland, and Mr.. Mclean
stated that on July 10 another brother Wis
tied the Lakeland preacher and reported
to the Health Office here that Mr.. Crowdy
had upon his body an eruption similar to
that of his sister. That day, Mr. Mclean
said, official notice was sent to DR.. Fulton
Secretary Of the Maryland State Board Of
Health, setting forth the facts and warning
him that in the opinion of the Health Of
fee the man had smallpox.
Mr.. Mclean said an investigation was
made. and the physicians pronounced Rev
Mr.. Crowdy's ailment ivy poisoning, and
nothing was done. Since then four people
visiting or living in the Crowdy house in
Lakeland have come down with smallpox,
and Mr.. Mclean showed letters that had
passed between him and DR.. Fulton, in
which enquiry was made whether the
Crowdy house at Lakeland had been dis
infected after four cases of smallpox had
been in 1t or traced to it. DR.. Fultons
answer was that no such disinfection had
taken place.
The Acting Health Officer said that they
had become somewhat alarmed because
practically pesthouse was being main
tanned in Lakeland through the neglect of
the Maryland health authorities, and that
all that could be done from his office had
been done to induce the officials over in
the adjacent county to act. 1T looks"
remarked Mr.. Mclean. "as though the
boosted care Of the sick did not extend
to the simple preoaution of fumigating the
houses in which they were confined SO as
to prevent the spread OF the disease after
the sick are we'll"
The quarantine instituted at the prem
Uses 1l12 Thirteenth Street northwest,
from which DR.. John NJ. Newborn was TAX
en- two weeks ago, was raised Sunday
at midnight by order of the Health De-
partment.