Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-02-18
Of SMALLPOX
A Number OF Iowa Communities
Having Serious Times With
the 'sease.
Black Hawk County Getting a
Large Share of Imported
Cases.
Williams Has Hard Fight to Pre-
vent Epidemic-.PubIic Meet.
ings Prohibited.
90 uymesRenublican.

Special to meS-RepuDliCdI.
Cedar Falls, Feb. 1S.-Blackhawk
county is getting into the swim with
the remainder of the state as regards
smallpox. The health officers are max
ing a determined fight against the dis
case and where they are being assisted
by the general public they are making
the fight win. There are now over fifty
cases in the county.
Waterloo has plenty of company now
In her adliction. That city has been the
favorite spot chosen by the disease
from the first outbreak n year ago.
About thirty cases are now reported
from that city. The health officers
there are making a vigorous fight TO
stamp the disease out and the steady
decrease in the number of cases shows
with what success they have labored.
Mayor Martin has issued circulars to
the public urging vaccination among
all classes, and especially among the
school children. The county hospital
erected some time ago is being used to
good advantage in caring for the pa
tients. Some indignation is felt by the
officials of Waterloo, and justly. too. on
account of the manner in which small
poX patients from over the county have
been thrust upon them apparently for
them to care for. 1t was noted in the
papers day or so ago that Mr.. Tril-
Ter was taken from the Illinois Central
train because he was carrying around
well-developed case of smallpox. He
physician of that town told him he was
not suffering from smallpox. He is now
In the detention hospital.
Mayor Martin has scarcely finished
his official duties in regard to the case
by ordering the coach from which he
was taken fumigated, until he was con-
fronted at his Office by a large negro
with larger case of smallpox He gave
his starting point as Oelwein and said
he had been directed to Waterloo as
the place to receive proper care. All
patients In the city are being cared for
as we'll as possible and without any
kick, but Waterloo does not feel like
caring for all the patients of the coun-
ty. As long as patients are allowed by
officers of other towns to travel on
trains. and from place to place. the dis
ease can never be controlled
Cedar Falls has contributed a half
dozen cases, all of whom are now In the
hospital or have been released as cured
There is great cause for congratulation
that the Normal School is free from the
disease and no alarm is felt among the
students. They have submitted readily
to vaccination and to this fact Is as
cribed the absence of the disease. Wig
orous quarantine measures have been
enforced on Normal Hill when each Of
the above cases We're discovered and as
result the health officers have the
disease under control without fear of
any more cases developing
The patients at the hospital have
their fun despite their affection RAN
dolph Stewart, negro from Fort
Dodge, is q recent addition to the sick
ward. AT first the white inmates OBJ
jected to this being taken in. raising
the kick that they did not care to mix
with case of black smallpox He was
admitted, however, and is getting along
well.
The disease has made its appearance
during the past few weeks in a number
of the rural districts of the county
much to the annoyance of the health
authorities. Five country school houses
In the county are now locked up on ac-
count of the malady. Two in Benning-
ton. two in Barclay and one in Water
loo township. The reasons assigned for
the advance of the disease in the rural
districts is that the boards of health in
the cities look after the conditions with
more care than in the country. Some
Instances have come to light where
neighborhoods have suffered from the
disease without the knowledge of the
boards of health at all. In some cases
the form was very light and the nature
OF the disease was unknown, as the pa
uents We're not sick enough to demand
the attendance of physician. Others
have entertained the disease without
reporting it for fear of alarming the
neighbors. This action has been con-
demned in every instance where known
and the patients have been made to I'M
derstand that their duty to the public
demands that they make known the
conditions at once.
ALMOST AN EPIDEMIC.