Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-05-07
IS OFFICIAL HYSTERIA|
Local Board Of Health Goes Panic Stricken
and Town Suffers.

down Mr.. Mason was asked by DIR. Har-
ris to visit him and DR.. Harris made an
Examination. The latter states that Mr..
Mason's marks, on the head and FORE
head, clearly indicate to him that he had
a mild case OF varioloid, and for this
reason, when he was sick and his
daughter attending school. It was feared
that contagion might possibly result.
Mr.. Mason was asked today by tele-
phone concerning his illness. and he,
stated that go far as he thought he did
not have the smallpox. He has always
been bothered with eczema and he cons
siders that the cause of the eruptions.
He says he had no Sintentiontof violating;
any law, and as his physician did not
consider the case smallpox he thought:
but very little about 1t at the time and
did not even remain away from. his
place Of business only when he was i'll
with fever.
The case of the little Slime boy was
brought up also. Master Slime is a Sec
ond ward pupil and was last
week. He had been in attendance at
school till within a few days before talk
ing i'll. His case, however, did not strike
the board with being at all serious, and
that there was much danger OF his hav-
ing spread the disease at all.
RESOLUTION ADOPTED.
After the situation as a whole was
considered from every point of view the
following resolution, introduced by Mr..
Benson, followed by motion OF Mr..
Fisher and second by Mr.. Kreutzer,
was adopted:
BE 1t resolved. by the board Of
health of Marshalltown, Iowa, That it
be hereby ordered that after this date
all public gatherings of any kind what
ever be hereby prohibited. The forego-
Ing order applies to all public schools.
religious gatherings, dances. lodge
meetings, theaters. lubs. etc. at which
people congregate for; any purpose
whatever. The foregoing order Is to be
in full force and effect until counter
Imanded by the board OF health. and all
persons found guilty of violating this
order will be punished to the full extent
I30f the law
\ 1t was decided at the meeting tosem-
ploy another health officer as general
assistant. also two guards for. old
Mother Kelly's .flatiron" on West
Railroad street which was squarantined
Saturday night.
SCHOOL BOARD MEETS.
Ministers of the city who could be.
REACHED by phone were notified OF the
lsorder closing the churches at once a.
printer was reused from his slumbers
at 1 o'clock and cards We're printed to
4 post on the churches, school houses and
theaters. People went to church Sun
\ day morning and found little yellow
card confronting them telling them
1that there would be no seESices. Police
IoHicers who went to nail on signs We're
Informed by neighbours that they were
making a mistake. and that none re-
A sided in the churches. In fact the news
caused an8unlimited amount of excite
ment and talk. The school board got to-
Il gether at about 10 O'Clock and talked
1.-THE matter over All were opposed to
1.-THE action OF the beard OF health con-
learning the schools and after II was
considered at length DIR. Harris and DIR.
Nichols were called In conference. The
school board members called attention
Ito the fact that the children had all
Ibeen vaccinated. and said before such
Ian order should have been made they
Thought the restrictions should have
slibeen limited to the exclusion of such
jpupils whose vaccinations had not been
lsuccessful. 1t was finally decided, tho,
THAT as far as the schools were con-
lcerned they would only be closed one
Isweek. and would be reopened again
tnext Monday. This recommendation
will be made to the board OF health by
4 DIR. Harris and DR. Nichols. The clos
ling for a week will allow the prescribed
seventeen days to elapse. SO that 1t may
be learned within that time whether or
not there will be any other cases rsult
from the Mason exposure.
4 THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER.
The truth OF the smallpox situa-
ton is far from what the rumors
A show 1t to be. There has not been
n death from the disease. and
there are no more cases here than
/ in many OF the other larger Iowa
cities, such as Dies Moines, where
over 200 cases exist and nothing
done but to quarantine each place.
Dr. Kennedy. secretary af the
state board Of health. was
wired this morning by the TAR.
as to the exact number OF cases, in
order to show that the report did
not come from Marshalltown, but
from the state health authorities.
DR.. Kennedy replied by telegraph
this afternoon that thirty cases
are under quarantine In MARSHALL
! town.
OF these cases during the past
few days there have been two
that were considered serious. One
was the baby son Of Mr.. and Mrs.
i Elmer McCool and the other the in-
1. FAINT OF Mr.. and Mrs. Ernest
Huber. Mid cases OF varioloid
| existed in the homes and the
Y. babies We're exposed In this man
4 ner. OF course neither had been
yaccinated and the disease went
harder with the infants than with
! larger people. The McCoo1 baby
! had 1t In the hemorrhagic stage,
which is considered the most se-
we're.
! The McCool baby was considered
the more dangerous Of the two, but
this morning the case, Is reported
much better. Consequently of all
those who were illsat all there have
been but two where there was any
very great alarm felt. Frank
Dixon, who was quite i'll when he
was. tlsst taken down. and who was
TIE eanterpie cefof CONN. assfar 81
the rumorss sXSpt Sunday. Is doing
az nicely % gould be expcc ted. ~ IS
WHERE, THE TROUBLE LIES.
I- M