Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-03-27

weston Physicfans Reply - Skate-
ments Recently Publfshed-Ras n
SmaIIp0xY

weston Physfcfans Reply to skate-
ments Recently Published-yVas n
smaIIpoxs
| To the Editor of the Register.
WESTON, w. Va, March 26.-Much
| has been said here about U health
board permitting Mail Agent Van
Horn, the smallpox suspect, who was
to pass through here en- route to his
home at Lost Creek, In the day coach
| of the evening passenger train. n day
this week, shaking hands and talking
with every passenger that got on at
Weston. In an issue OF the Register
the following day Mr.. Vanhorn was
removed, there appeared a communica-
ton from Buchannon, stating the Van
harm case was adjudged measles and
that the two Weston physicians who
went there to examine him said 1t was
smallpox and two days later suddenly
changed their minds, calling it meas
els. DR.. j. I. Warder and DR.. NJ. S.
Holt were our physicians spoken OF.
DIR. Holt was met on the street this
afternoon and asked, I'VE see by the
Register correspondent of Buchannon
that you visited Vanhorn. who was
qu%arantined in a mail car, and that you
changed your mind and decided to call
it measles. What are the facts?"
The Buchannon correspondent GER
tainly pays US a very nice compliment
for it is said that there are at least
three men who are interchangeable, an
old preacher, and old physician and an
old lawyer, and we have, according to
his article, proven an exception to the
rule. The city of Buchannon as well
as the adjoining counties have suffered
severe financial loss as we'll as great
mental anxiety by reason of the obsti-
nancy of some of the physicians of that
town. All medical experts have de-
clared hat they were cases OF small
pox, while at least three of Buchan-
non doctors, not content with oral dec
larations denying the existence of the
disease but caused to be published the
denial over their own signatures in
the newspapers. Owing to its preva-
lence each one of them, we are inform
ed, provided himself with vaccim virus
and used it on his patients. In rela-
ton to the Vanhorn case, DR.. Warder
and l were called by the railroad Off
Gals to see him, which we did on the
evening OF the End day, and found his
body, limbs and face covered with a
very fine eruption, which to me did not
resemble ordinary measels. We both
thought that precautionary measures
should be continued for> at least a
reasonable time, and if it proved to be
measels no harm would result, a the
county of Upshur had already suffered
by reason of the diagonistic declara-
tons Of doctors who called 1t Cuban
c~hickenpox, Philippine itch, red and
black mn9Cn1c nfn Snoaltnnv iS aa-
cording to the best authorities, in
many cases hard to diognose and we
only saw him through the window,
hence the necessity of great precau-
ton.
! never saw but n case of small
pox, but I have seen many hundreds
of men who had the peck marks, who
stated that eminent physicians had
treated them for small pox, and the
cases from Lewis, Gilmer and Upshur
were disfigured by the same kind of
scars.
The doctor was asked further, "are
there cases recorded by authorities in
which diagnosis of small pox is con-
founded with measels, the eruptions
disappearing and returning AGAIN."
Yes, ever the expert DIR. Perry, OF
washington Marion Hospital, was only
able to say that there were positively
three cases in Buckhannon, because he
only saw that number at a time when a
diagnosis was certain, yet he did not
doubt that the others had had small
pox. Eruptions closely resembling
measels may appear and disappear fol-
lowed by true smallpox is the claim
of some specialists on this question,
and my opinions are based solely upon
their statements as I will take much
for granted before making a personal
investigation. / think it was a great
mistake to nov Vanhorn at the time
he went home. If he so fully and sud-
denly recovered from measels no harm
could have resulted by the sequila that
follows many cases of that disease, and
for no other purpose than to prevent
mental pain and distrust in the county
he should have been kept in quarantine
for a longer time"
DR.. Warder was asked about the sub
ject and he replied that he had said
all he cared to upon the subject. An
other prominent citizen of Weston, a
physician whose name We withhold by
request, says were it true that Van
horn had measels he should not, in my
opinion, have been moved, If for moth
ing more than to prevent that con-
tagion. l think it a grave mistake"
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