Waterbury Democrat., 1902-02-25
SMALL POX HERE.
Man Discovered Walking the
 Street With the Disease.
SLEPT AT SALVATION ARMY

For the Fast Three NightS-Ihe Man
 Was in Naugatuck Last Friday
 --He Was the Object of Much Curi-
 osity as He Sat in the Alleyway
 Leading to Police Station-Later the
 Man Was Taken to the Pest House
 Health Board Takes Prompt Action
 Waterbury is experiencing a sensation to-day such as 1t has not had ill many years, with the possible exception of the big fire of February 2, but probably when the facts become known there will not be much cause to be alarmed. This morning man approached Ser geant Pagan of the police department on Bank street and wanted to know where he could find the town doctor While the officer was giving the stranger the information he desired Dr Thomas l.. Axtelle, medical examiner for Waterbury, happened along and at The first glance of the mans face con- cluded that he had smallpox, and so Informed Sergeant Pagan, who escort ed the patient to the office of the board of charities in the City hall building. Dr AXtelle also called there and report ed the case to Superintendent Doran. III. naL was placed on q chair in the alleyway that runs between the hall and the ruins of the Scoyillf house building until about twenty minutes of II o'clock, when he was removed to the pest house
 A big crowd collected about the place and watched the man with much in- terest, the officers who guarded the entrance to the alleyway finding no trouble i'll keeping them at a respectful distance from the spot. Mayor KiI- duff and Health Officer Kjlmartin were on the ground soon after the patient was brought to the office of the board of charities and as soon as q venice could be procured he was removed to the pest house, the chair he occupied being sent along with him. Some 1ault-1inding was heard on account of leaving him out doors so long, but req sonable people thought the officials acted promptly and got him out of the way as quickly as possible under the circumstances. 1t is d question wheth- CT 1t would have been wise to take him into the office Of the board Of charities. and he would not have been very welcome guest at one of the cafes.
 Democrat reporter spoke to him rom across the street. He replied substantially as follows: My name is Joseph Diamond. I am 2S years old and belong in North AttIeboro Mass. where my father. John Diamond. re- sides at No , Oak street. I have q brother there, too. I've been away from home nearly six years and since that time have lived i'll different places. l came here from New York. working my way from town to town along the valley. l came i'll from Naugatzlck last Friday and spent that night at the police station. The next day ! struck in with the Salvation Army people and slept three nights at their place.
 How long have you been sick?,' shouted the reporter.
 T haven't been sick at all" he said. bot the past day or two I caught a cold and thought I'd like to see . doc tor. I'm not very sick now. but I feel that there's something the matter with me. worked hard saving wood yes- tef6lay and it broke. me up''
 Health Officer Kilmartin told inc re- porter that there was nothing sure
 
 ficiently suspicious to warrant taking all precaution to avoid the disease spreading. He said that tho lodgers' bunk at the police station would be fun1igated. the temporary home of the Salvation Army on South Main street near Meadow street uuarantined all the inmates found there kept on the premises and as many as stopped at the home last night and are at large Will be rounded up and sent back there. The police are now engaged in q still hunt for habitues of the barracks and 1t IS thought that they will have the Whole of them confined before night.
 lt was quite a job for the mayor, health officer and those in the office of the board of charities and conveyed a pretty good idea of what men have to deal with who have to do with such cases. There were not many men ill the crowd that collected about the hall this morning who would care to accent Superintendent Doran's job at any price. It was a sight such as nobody ever before witnessed in this town. The man. an utter stranger, suffering With loathsome disease. sat there all alone and acted as if he felt like shout ing for assistance like the lepers re ferred to in the Great Book He real ized that they were waiting for. some one, and when Dr Kilmartin appeared and went over and talked to him he seemed much relieved Ne walked from the chair to the sleiah without assistance. The driver. an elderly man named Connolly. didn't seem 10 ta'Se much notice of what was going on and drove off apparently as unconcerned. as if he was out for a pleasure trip through the snow with some \boon companion instead of taking q srhall- pox patient to the little building on the town farm. The sleigh. chair and ev- eryihing else used in the vehicle was destroyed and the man who drove him disinfected, so that there can be no danger of contamination from that source It was a good thing that the weather was not too cold. else the pa- tient could not have been left out doors while the authorities were hunt ing LID vehicle to carry him to the conta oious disease hospital, and he would have to be sheltered somewhere. All the clerks in the City hall were white in the face while the man was