The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-01
Ihey VIII Go Fully Prepared to Take
Every Step to Eradicate SMALL
box from That Locality.
EQUIPPED FOR VACCINATION
DIR. HURTY EXPLAINS THE CHARAC-
TER OF THE WORK.
A Strong Feeling that Smallpox Con-
ditions In the State Have
Been Exaggerated.

accompanied Dy one otner physician, VINO
VIII probably be Dr. c. E. Ferguson, DR..
j. n. Hurry, secretary of the State Board
or Health, will leave tonight to inspect
smallpox conditions in all of the counties
bordering on the Ohio river and also in a
tier of counties Immediately to the north of
the river counties. DR.. Hurry will go from
here to Evansville and work eastward
while DR.. Ferguson will probably go first
to Lawrenceburg and proceed towards the
west
The two physicians will by personal in
vestigations ascertain the exact conditions
prevailing in the counties. They will ex-
anime the county health officers, take testi-
mony from physicians in private practice
and will confer with county boards of
health. Their mission will be to see that
in all counties where good preventive work
Is being done that it shall be kept up, and
in counties where there is Reorganization
incapacity or lack of proper support from
the county board of health to the health
officer that the boards not living strictly
up to the requirements of the law shall
change front instantly under penalty of
mandate from the county court and under
penalty also of the institution of proceed
ings for impeachment. The trip of the two
physicians acting as representatives of the
State Board of Health is the result OF the
decision made Friday by the Kentucky
Board of Health to the effect that the quar-
antine order is 20 be suspended for ten days
on condition that the Indiana authorities
get to work in the proper manner to check
the spread of smallpox.
EVANSVILLE FIRST.
Il shall go directly to Evansville" said
DR.. Hurry yesterday. Conditions in Posey
county are almost perfect, and there will
be little necessity for investigation there
Then L shall go TO Warrick county, where
much confusion exists and where the pre-
ventive measures have been characterized
by listlessness and inactivity. From the
county health officer shall ascertain the
number of cases shall also inquire of
other physicians what they have noted If
the health officer is not receiving proper
support l shall direct that the County
Board of Health be called together at once
and when they meet L shall inform them
that they must support the health officer
by every effort in their power, financial
and otherwise. If they demur and inter
pose objection to the spending of funds to
preserve the health of the people l shall,
acting under the opinion of Attorney Gen
eral Taylor and the instruction of the Stale
Board of Health, Immediately ask that
they be inundated by the court of their
county. If their disobedience 10 the law
shall prove fragrant and their opposition to
the authority of the state board immovable
by buSineSSlike statement of conditions
and calm argument | shall begin proceed
ings of Impeachment as the law provides.
This course will be followed in every cOun-
~ where DR.. Ferguson and myself intend
going. We shall use argument and per-
sGasiOn wherever possible, but if necessary
the arm OF the law will be invoked TO make
stubborn and short-sighted county officers
do their plain duty.
In Spencer county the conditions are ex-
tremely bad. There is disorganization and
nothing is being done. 1 shall make it my
business to see that measures are taken
against further spread of smallpox before
l leave the county. In Pike county the
Board OF Health needs attention, and a
meeting Will have to be called probably TO
impress IL with the fact that the State is
determined that the law shall be fully lived
up to. The conditions in Orange county are
also bad. and much work will have TO be
| done there. The preventive work in Wash
| ington county has not been satisfactory.
| In Perry county conditions are fair. Har-
| risOn county l have no reports from. In
| Floyd and Clark counties the health officers
are doing their duty and the attitude of the
| county boards seems to be satisfactory. In
| jefferson county the officers appear to be
| from Dearborn, Ohio and Switzerland coun-
| ties, but 1 of opinion that there are q
| few cases of smallpox there which have
| been called by another name"
AFTER MACHINERY IS STARTED.
After starting the machinery to moving
in the river and adjoining counties, Or
| Hurry and his assistant will later go t
more northerly counties of the State. Tn
der the promises made TO the Kentucky
| Board, Friday, the State Board must sc,
to it that the county boards of countie.
| across the river from kentucky get to worl
at once vigorously.
II shall take a quantity of vaccine virus
tubes with me- said DR.. Hurry, and will
| no doubt vaccinate hundreds of people per
sonally. In similar trips of this kind
| have had 10 overcome the prejudice
! not only of people uniformed con
| corning vaccination, but also of count!
! officers On one occasion l made
speech from a dry goods box in a littl
| town In southern Indiana TO a crowd o
| miners concerning the urgent necessity tina
| they should be vaccinated to prevent tn
| spread of disease in their community. !
| local doctor, who stood with me, and L vac
| cinated ourselves in front of the crow,
| 10 show that there was nothing harmful
: or dangerous about the operation. Tn
result was that we vacclnated sixty peopl
| in an hour or two. Starting on trip o
| this kind without a supply of vaccine
like going into battle without ammuni
| ton"
| that there will be no difficulty about meet
| ing the expenses OF the trip, and he vii
| see 10 ii that the State Board OF Healtl
| has all the financial backing needed. In
| Guiding the cost of the virus. the expense
| of DR. Hurry and his assistant, the sun
| of money necessary 10 live UP 10 the prom
| ises TO the Kentucky board probably vii
| not be large.
| The secretary of the State Board o
| Health is of opinion that at the end o
| ten days' postponement the quarantine or
| der will be entirely revoked by the Ken
| lucky Board. All that they want 10 b
! assured Of" he said, lis that we here /
| Tndiana are at work to keep down an
| root out the disease. That is what the
| are doing there, and they want us TO d
| the same thing 1 expect to get county au
| tborities actively TO work, and that is a
| the kentucky Board requires"
SMALLPOX SITUATION.