The Saint Paul globe., 1902-10-27

/ The state board of health is taking elab-
crate precautions to prevent recurrence
of smallpox in the lumber camps of
Northern Minnesota this winter.
! Smallpox becomes active with the Ee-
appearance of cold weather, often lying
entirely dormant through the warm sum
mer months. Last winter the lumber
camps of the North proved to be breeding
spots for the disease, because it was I'M
possible, in view Of the nouadic nature
of the lumber jack, to keep any track of
him.
In the winter of 1901 it was impossible
to control the disease in camps because
any attempt to quarantine a camp re-
suited in panic on the part of the men
employed in it, who would even break
ing shot. As a result there was a tre-
mendous spread of smallpox in the small
er towns of the North frequented by luIn-
Der workers, and only the tact that the
ed heavy mortality.
AS soon as the camps were vacated
last spring they were visited by officials
of the state board of health and thor
oughly fumigated. This fail every camp
was again fumigated. and the health Of
ficials assert that there is now no more
danger of men going into the log houses
of the lumber companies.
Board Takes Precautions.
To prevent any recurrence of smallpox,
taken by the board. In every county Of
the northern tier. special medical inspec-
tors have been appointed. each inspector
being qualified medical practitioner in
the country for which he Is held response
BILE. 1t is the duty of such inspectors to
visit the camps under their jurisdiction
every week and make a report on the
conditions existing.
DR.. Fl. NJ. Bracken, of the board of
health, said yesterday afternoon that per-
SiStent effort had been required to stamp
ha
in this state last year and that success
had been so far attained that there was
practically no smallpox in the state at
There are isolated cases in different
localities" said DR.. Bracken to the
G ! o be. but nothing like an epidemic
exists at any point, and it is pretty GER
tain that with the measures taken for
prevention there will be nosi epidemic
smallpox this winter i-sesz z.-tf
1T is satisfactorily established that
after thorough disinfection by competent
men, lumber camp may be rendered as
free from infection as. a modern fiat, but
in these places renders2it practically i'm
possible to assert that there will be no
recurrence of the disease. The lumber
crews are recruited from the cities, where
men have been living in small hotels and
lodging houses which, from the nature of
things, are less sanitary than any other
buildings. So
Afraid of Chambers Epidemic.
"As a matter of fact, there is no in
fectious disease epidemic in Minnesota at
this time. A considerable amount of
diphtheria exists. but the cases are in
widely separate localities and all are be-
ing well looked after. We are more
concerned just now over an epidemic of
glanders and the existence of other dis
eases in epidemic form among horses and
cattle
The state board of health has succeeded
in securing cooperation from the health
board in Wisconsin and Michigan. so that
intelligent assistance may be given by
these bodies, one to another, for the re-
preston of infectious disease in the
Northwest.