Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1902-08-07
SMALLPOX ON THE CAR
Disease on a Brooklyn Trolley
Turned It Into a Prison.
DOCTOR DETECTED ITS PRESENCE.

All the Passengers Were Made Pris-
oners by DR.. e. d.. johnson, Who
Stood with His Back to the Door
and Would Allow None to Leave.
V~accinated at Stables.
Ladies' and gentlene en-" said a tall,
brown be. Well dressed and dis
tingr' - ig man backing up to
- Ioor OF Il jourt street car in Brook
l. :!le other day, "there is a case Of
smallpox on this ear. The person who
has the disease will please say So"
The car was filed with men and wo-
men, who looked up in amazement at
the extraordinary announcement, says
the New York Journal One smart citi-
zen made a f%acetious response.
NO." said the man at the door quiet
ly, 81 am neither a drunken man nor a
crank. l an q physician who has had
a great deal of experience with small
pOx, and I recognize the odor that is
inseparable from the disease at a GER
tain stage. There is no possibility Of
a mistake, and again 1 call on whoever
has the disease to make it known"
Two men and & wonan made a rush
for the front door of the car. They
found it locked. Against the other
door was the broad back of the doctor.
There was no exit,
Nobody may leave the car" said the
calm man of medicine, until the case
of smallpox is located. If the person
who has it does not reveal himself, I
will be obliged to examine everybody
OF h car"
He waited several minutes, but there
was no response. The passengers
glanced at each other fearfully, and
each tried to shrink from his neighbor.
Nobody doubted now. Meanwhile the
car went Oh.
Every well" SAID the doctor, ST Will
have to examine everybody in the car.
Let me have your pulse, sir"
The doctor had gone the whole length
OF the car without finding anything and
stood opposite q stout negress whose
veil was down
"Raise your veil, madam
81 WON'T
"Then III have to raise it for you"
The doctor laid his hand on the veil.
The woman grabbed it. There was a
brief struggle, and the veil wa torn
off. 1t did not take an expert to tell
where the disease was then. Her face
was covered with the dread pustules.
Il amt got no smallpox. That's
only a RASH" protested the oma
There was a stampede to the other
end OF the car and almost a panic, but
the indicated doctor quoted the pas
sengers. He told them, however, that
the car would go to the car stables
without q stop.
The man who had detected the dis
ease was DR.. E. D. Johnson Of Will
liamsburg, who was with the army in
Cuba II who is an authority on yell
low fever, smallpox and other conta-
gious diseases. He had detected the
telltale odor as soon as he got on the
car Inc had notified the conductor that
he had smallpox aboard n must let
nobody on or off b ear. He also told
him he must be allowed to examine the
passengers. The conductor at first de-
INJURED, but the doctor had his way.
The gripman was directed to- go right
to the car barns and to keep the door
at his end of he ear shut. These in
structions were all carried out. and the
identity Of the sufferer was discovered,
as told.
From the car stables the board of
health was notified, and a vaccfnator
|. was sent there, and the health authori-
ties took charge of matters. The col
ored woman was taken to North Broth
err island. The people were not allow
ed to leave the car until all had been
fumigated. and the car was disinfected
and withdrawn from traffic.
All submitted with a good grace ex-
cept the Sripman, who said a vaccina-
ton might prevent him working his
car and that he could not afford to lay
off. He was told no exception could
be made, aud he was scratched with
the rest.
her the passengers began to thank
DR.. Johnson, who had barred his scalpel
and taken part in the general vaccina-
ton. They wanted to pay him for his
services. to raise a purse for him and
that sort of thing, but he would not
have it and, as usual, had his way.