The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-06-02
LAY ALL BLAME
ON PEST HOUSE
Responsible For Smallpox Epi-
dsmiC in Sugar Ward.
RESIDENTS THERE ENRAGE0
COUNCIL DENOUNCED FOR NOT
REMOVING HOSPITAL.
RESIDENTS THERE ENRAGED

The location of the pest house on Par
ley's creek where ali refuse from the
hospital drains into water used for cul-
mary and Irrigation purposes by presf-
dents of that part of the city, is asserted
to be the cause OF the outbreak of small
pox in Sugar ward. The county authori-
ties do not deny that this Is a most ike
" explanation Of the situation found in
that district Sunday.
The people Of the ward are enraged over
the lax methods in municipal government
= that are said to be responsible for the
-znaiutenance of this menace. The. people
Of the city are alarmed because Of the
serious results that may follow If some
thing is not done A law was passed by
the last legislature requiring that the
pest house be removed from its present
site The time for this to be done has al
most elapsed ard the county health au-
InOrlCies are authority Tor the statement
that nothing SO far as is known, has
been done towards Obeying the law.
Residents Of Sugar ward assert that the
attention Of the city council has been
called to the danger Of the situation time
ana again. but these warnings have
passed unheeded AS a consequence Trey
hold the council responsible for the con-
ultlon that now prevails In that district.
Hospital a Menace
The detention hospital is situated with
IN a short distance Of the stream at the
mouth of the canyon The drainage, Of
vision is made at the place for sewage
and the refuse that collects Is washed
Into the stream by every rain, It is
claimed This disease ladened filth is car
ried down the creek. which flows directly
through Sugar ward
ct course, the water used in the city
WaterWorks IS taken out Of the stream
several miles above the location Of the
pest house Nevertheless, the water that
nOWs down the creek is used by the resi-
dents Of Sugar ward for Irrigation pur-
p0sas, washing and by some for culin-
AIRY purposes IN this way the germs are
scattered over the gardens, Ieft IN me
cfoEhfnE washed in the water, and taken
directly into the food eaten by those who
use II for cooking
in speaking of the conditions there, made
the following statement to The Herald
yesterday:
Denonuces the Council.
The people OF Sugar house are Unani-
nous IN declaring that the pest house Is
responsible for the outbreak OF smallpox.
The isolation hospital IS located on the
main creek that runs through Sugar
house ward and while many families are
compelled TO use the water for culinary
purposes, all use it for irrigation. In this
way the disease has been spread and
there is no one TO blame DuU the city
council For years repeated protests have
been made to the council against the
maintaining Of the pest house at Lhis
point. It is right in the confines Of. Su-
gar house and not over SEQ feet distant
from residences Then the pest house
wagon IS driven through the streets with
patients and no precautions taken 70 pre-
vent q spread from this source
IT myself have gone to members OF the
council and protested against the ap-
parent disregard of the welfare Of the
people of Sugar house. have told them
that some day there would be an epf-
demic OF smallpox Ia LlaI 10 Ioc amy ana
that it would be a terror The same pro
test has been made by others and It IS
no surprise to US that the scourge has
at last come
Patients Wash In Greek.
TO give the people an idea of the out
rageous condition Of the pest house II
Is only necessary to mention the fact
that there are no. sewer connections with
creek that passes the place Patients
wash in the water and iaunder their
clothing there Then this water flows
down the creek TO be used for various
purposes by the people living on tbs
stream The hospital is located on two
public highways, and the Rio Grande
tracks run by the door
.'The people there are not to blame.
The cases had been diagnosed as chicken I
poX and il was only Sunday when they
learned the true nature or the disease
They are now more than willing 10 un-
dergo quarantine and assist the aUthori-
tles In stamping OUT the epidemic But
there can be little hope for us so long
as the pest house is kept right
County Physician II N MAYO. when
asked for an expression of opinion in
relation 10 this alleged cause of the dis
There is no doubt but that the malay
may have started in that manner In
fact. 1t is very likely that that is the
explanation. OF course, the spread of the /
disease is due largely to lax methods in
taking care of the disease. but ] believe (
il quite probable that the first case may
have originated from the water Of the
creek and probably many more besides
Visit to Sugar Ward.
Yesterday Dr. Mayo visited Sugar ward
personally and Investigated the coudi-
riOns there. He stated that the facts as
set forth in yesterday mornings Herald
were not In the least OVeFdraVgn
i found no new cases today said he, /
but there IS no telling when a new case /
viii break out as result of the eX-
pOSures that have occurred. All the
houses where the disease has been found {
are now under quarantine. and the strict I
est regulations viii be enforced. Every !
family that is afflicted now Will be COM
PEELED TO have their places thoroughly /
fumigated as soon as the patients re-
cover In so far as il is possible TO do
So all places where the disease has been I
viii be fumigated. We viii furnish a /
man to do the work. and the residents /
viii have TO pay for the fOrmaldehyde /
used
The doctor stated that the county in /
Urinary would also have tC undergo a /
thorough fumigation because the choir ]
from Sugar ward has been furnishing )