Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1902-08-28
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. ID. Johnson, Who
Stoed with His Back to the Door
and Would Allow None to Leave.
VaccinateGi at Stables
Ladies ar gentlemen" said a tall,
brown he" we'll dressed and dis
tin@3'+ - lg man backing up to
. ,i30r nt {. ,ourt street car in Brook
l., fhe other day, there is case OF
smallpox on this car. 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 c1t-
zen made a facetious response.
NO said the man at the door quiet
", 81 am neither a drunken man nor
crank. l am a physician who has had
a great deal of experience with small
pox, and l recognize the odor that is
inseparable from the disease at cer-
tain stage. There is no possibility Of
a mistake, and again call on whoey z
has the disease to make it known"
Two men and woman made 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
on the 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 on.
VERY WELL" said the doctor, "I 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 a stout negress whose
veil was down.
''R:ei.se your veil. madam"
Il won't"
eth Il I'll have to raise it for you
The doctor laid his hand on the veil
The woman grabbed it. There was
off. 1t did not take an expert to tell
where the disease was then. Her face
was covered with the dread pustules.
81 amt got no smallpox. That's
only a rash." protested the woman.
There was stampede to the other
end OF the car and almost panic, but
the vindicated doctor Quieted the pas
sengers. He told them. however. that
the car would go to the car stables
without a stop.
The man who had detected the dis
ease was DR.. E. d. Johnson OF WI
namsburG who was with the army Ia
Cuba and who is an authority on yei-
low fever. smallpox and other conta-
:gious diseases. He had detected the
telitale odor as soon as he got on the
sear and had notified the conductor that
he had smallpox aboard and must let
nobody on or off the car. 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 the car 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. ind a vaccinator
was sent there, and the health authori-
ties took charge of matters. The col
ored woman was taken to North Broth
er island. The people were not allow
ed to leave the car until all had been
fumigated, and the car was disinfected
and withdra S-n from traffic
All submitted with good grace ex-
cept the gripman, who said a vaecina-
ton might prevent him working his
car and that he could not afford to lay
off. He was told no exception could
be made, and he was scratched with
the rest.
Then 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 1t and, as usual, had his way.