Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-06-13
Relative To Smallpox,

In conformity with our own judg-
ment and by request of prominent
citizens including the mayor and other
city officials, we said nothing last
week relative to smallpox sensation
that sprung up in the city early last
week. But since other papers have
published the matter extensively and
IN some cases thrown such doubt upon
the character Of the disease that. the
health officers have found it difficult
to enforce quarantine and other
precautionary measures to prevent the
spread of the disease, we have come to
the conclusion shat plain statement
OF, the facts had better be made.
1t has become public news that for
the past two months disease. called
Cuban Itch" and other similar
names has been prevalent in the town
OF Rudolph and also at PittSville. In
many respects it resembled smallpox,
only it was in form SO light that
many of the afflicted consulted nc
physician, took no medicine nor wer
they confined to their homes or beds
with sickness. A case came before
DR.. Frank Pomain vile, city physi-
clan, and member of the board OF
health, week before last, in the person
OF Nettie Miles. The doctor pro-
nounced it smallpox and quarantined
the patient. Since this time the facts
regarding Rudolph have come to light,
and last week that whole town was in
a state of quarantine until SATURDAY
when the quarantine was raised on the
town, as all the afflicted people in the
town had been isolated.
In this city there is no spread of the
disease, and there is not likely, to be-
as all the cases are now strictly
quarantined. From the original
exposures there have developed nine
cases in the city as follows: Nettie
Miles, now convalescing; Effie Miles
and jeff. Miles, their father; Lila and
Alfred Duprey, Donald Peterson, the
Methodist pastors son, and Adam
Bossert and two children. DR.
Pomainville has been in correspon
dence with the state board of health
| and his action in the matter is fully
sustained by that body. We quote
from the letter of the state board OF
health to DR.. Pomainville:
Local health authorities have full
power to act and the state board car
only advise in this matter. There is
no doubt about it's being smallpox
and the most strict quarantine should
be maintained and vaccination urgeC
in all cases. AT the meeting of The
American Medical association in ST
Paul yesterday, resolution wa.
adopted by the joint meeting of thu
sections on the practice of medicine
and hygiene and sanitation to thu
effect that it is the sense of Thu
meeting that the disease now prevail
ing throughout this country, and tina
has been termed by some to b,
"Pseudo-Small-pox," Cuban Itch,
and other names similar, is genuin,
smallpox, and should be treated a
such, with rigid quarantine. vacci
nation, and disinfection by all board
of health or health officers" Thi
was adopted almost unanimously by
large number of physicians, represent
ing all parts of the country. There i
no question about this matter AM
local authorities should maintain
their function and deal with tn
disease as it is necessary.
The board of health of the cit,
wishes us to ask the people to assis
the authorities to stamp out th
disease in this locality, by reporting
all suspicious cases to the board, am
also in helping to maintain stric
quarantine on those pronounced Sicl
with the disease