The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-01-05
EPIDEMIC NOT LIKELY
Steps Taken to Prevent Spread Of
Smallpox.
SIX CASES YESTERDAY
CITY HEALTH BOARD DIS
CUSSES CONDITIONS.
Fresh Patients Have Been Sent to
the Pest House and All Who Have
Been Exposed to the Contagion
Are Now Under Rigid Quarantine
NO Fears of Further Outbreak.


NO Fears of Further Outbreak.
Yesterday six more cases. Of smallpox
were reported to the health department.
The presence Of the disease in two of
the three families guarantees yester-
/ day was discovered when Health Com
missioner Keogh started to vaceinate
those who had been exposed to the dis
ease in the Hobbs family, where it
broke out on Wednesday.
The origin Of the nine new cases has
/ been traced to Butte, from which place
I Susie hilpack Cotton came two weeks
/ ago from an infected household She
visited with her sister, Eula Wray
+ HOBBS Three members of that family
/ took the disease and they in turn have
communicated it to Others.
Yesterdays Six Gases.
The cases reported yesterday were
those of old Mrs. Hobbs and her three
] grandchildren, aged IA, 10 and years,
residing on the corner of Third West
and Eighth South streets, and a 19-
year-Old girl named De GrOOt a neigh
Dor of the Hobbs The other Hobbs
family in which the disease exists re
side at 613 South Fifth West street The
other case reported yesterday refers to
+ the 14-year-old son Of Emily Kilpack
mother of Eula Wray Hobbs and Susie
Cotton. Mrs. Kilpack and her SON re-
side at 223 F street
Health Commissioner Keogh has had
quarantined twenty-five members Of
the Hobbs. Kilpack and De GrOOt fami-
lies who have been exposed to the in
lection and not yet taken down with
the disease. Mrs. Kilpack has been do
ing laundry work until Wednesday for
various families in the city
Since the accommodations at the pest
house are rather limited, only those
who are now afflicted with the disease
will be taken there for isolation and
treatment, and the suspects viii be
under strict quarantine regulations.
City Health Board Acts.
Approaching the Importance of TAX
ing the usual precautionary measures
without delay, d meeting of the city
board OF health was held yesterday af-
ternoon. Mayor Thompson presided
ana the other attendants at the meet
ing were Health Commissioner KeOgh
and DR.. r W. Fisher.
the situation was gone over thor
oughly and the disposition of the new
eases and the suspects was concluded
upon as stated
Dr. heOgh expressed the opinion that
vaccination should be encouraged as a
preventive measure and that the
schools should be kept closed a period
OF thirty days to lessen the danger of
rapid spread Of the plague. The board
concurred in the health commissioners
views and adopted a resolution directed
to the city school board embodying the
neaIJh boards recommendations.
AFTER the meeting Mayor Thomson
ana school Superintendent Cooper held
a conference on the subject
School Board Discusses If.
Tie board Of education last evening
discussed the question of vaccination
and school closing, but without result.
NO oI1clal communication had come
from the city health board and the
members were in doubt whether the
city authorities resolution was intend
cd 10 be merely advisory and directing
or mandatory. But in order TO avoid
possible blunder it was decided To
hold a special meeting promptly on re-
ceipt Of the expected communication
from the health department.
BY invitation. D.. r. B. Beatty of
the state board &C heal ]. addressed the
urging Vaccinatioo, excluding children
from the schCC Is Uho are not thus made
immune, ana closing the schools DIR
Beatty said he voiced the unanimous
sentiment of the state board in urging
the adoption of preventive measures by
vaccination and strict quarantine
He also pointed out that the local
health board recognized the imminence
of a smallpox epidemic, but he took is
sue with the city authorities in advo-
eating the suspension Of school work
This method. conten5ad DR.. Beatty,
would accomplish nothing good. To
close the schools would be cowardly.
and would afford no protection from
smallpox. His plan would be to re-
fuse admission to any pupil who has
not been recently vaccinated
This would protect the children from
the disease, and those who were preju- !
diced against the anti-tOxine treatment
would sOoH have their children treated
in order To gain admission to the
schools.
Law Gives Ample Power.
In Dr.. Beatty's opinion, based on At
tOrney General Bishops Interpretation /
Of the law. the school board, as we'll /
as the city health authorities, have |
ample pUsTer to act as suggested, al /
though general compulsory vaccination /
could not he accomplished lawfully in .
other ways.
In reply to questions, Dr. Beatty i
made a committing showing that vacci- |
nation, if done in time, is a preventive /
Of smallpox, wholly, or to the extent of I
making attacks mild in form, if the /
measure of protection is applied late, I
and, moreover, that no harmful results i
can accrue from modern vaccination 1
methods.
DR.. Beatty remarked that the duties
# a health officer are unpleasant to per
form, and the best efforts known to
sanitary science and medical skill to
protect life and ravages Of cOntagiOn
ire too often rewarded with curses
rom ignorant and prejudiced people.
such rewards make a public servant
weary Of doing his duty well.
Al the conclusion Of DR.. Beatty's adj
iress he was accorded a vote Of thanks,
md it was quite evident he had made
/ favorable impression upon the school
ru5tees. 1t was also apparent that
hey were convinced Of the efficacy Of
lis recommendations.
1900
armTOzT An ETnIU