The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-05-20
A SMALLPOX EPIDEEIC.
All Public Gatherings Have Been
Prohibited at Mt. Pleasant.

Prohibited at Mt. Pleasant,
AIt Pleasant. May 19.-This city is fac
ing am epidemic of smallpox. Numerous
cases are here already OF the dread dis
ease. Exposures almost without numbef
have been made and the prospects are
for a long siege of f. Church meetings.
schools. dances, theatres. and in fact,
an public gatherings have been prohib-
tied by order of the board OF health for
an indefinite length of time.
The disease was brought to town sew
eTal weeks ago from Chester. A son Of
Charles AVerett was there miugiing with
a family in which the disease was pTeVa-
lent. and came from there to his home
here. Afterwards he and other members
Of the Averett family were taken down.
but there were no quarantine restric-
tons imposed. as the health authorities
were not notified of the fact that the
disease existed there Members of the
stricken family attended church meet
iEgS, dances and other public gatherings.
also visited with neighbOrs as usual and
allowed neighbOring families to come
continually to the house. In this way
there is no doubt but that. hundreds OF
both children and grown people have
been exposed by coming iu direct contact
with these people while they had the
disease.
Last Saturday the fact that the disease
was smallpox was brought TO the notice
of the authorities and AN investigation
WAS ordered. No immediate action was
taken besides quarautiuiuE the AVerett
family and establishing a strict watch
over all suspects and all those who were
known to have been exposed. Yesterday
and the day before reports Of suspicious
cases began TO come iu and uD to this
time there are known to be three fam
lies where the disease exists and others
where 10 IS suspiciCned. Those who have
the disease besides the Averetts are cail-
dren in the families Of Marshal Andrew
Jensen eX-Marshal John Knudsen and
Andrew knUdsen. Six or eight Dfher
r7r ID
Of some member having been exposed.
Deeming Tho situation of sufficient
seriousness 10 warrant extreme action
being taken the local board OF health
last night after due consideration. ia
sued proclamation closing all schools
and stopping all public gatherings Of any
nature whatsoever. This order will con-
unue for an indefinite time. 1T Is made
not SO much on account Of the cases that
exist here al present as ON account OF
the exposures and the fears entertained
by the doctors and people alike that
mere VIII be many cases IN few days
The closing of the schools is the most
serious phase of the situation 10 date.
Next week would have wound them I'D
ln the natural order of events and er-
were under way at both the public school
ana the Wasatch academy These were
not concluded, but DC is understood thar
they were far enough along to give the
teachers opportunity 90 grade an of the
pupils and where graduation diplomas
were merted. or promotion certificates.
they viii be given.
There Is much Censure here of the mar
ties who brought the disease to the rirv
Pm Inc first place and allowed it's con-
Lnued existence knowingly without norf-
iying the authorities ana without is0laf-
ING themselves from the residents III tho
community while sick. Tt is looked ifDon
as criminal indifference OF csrelessness
ana as IL is a crime subject ro LEGAL MN
lshnent by the civil authorities id viii
ne lhEes tigated- i'm an prOba biIity. There
Us talk of petitiO1ng the state board a.
nealth 10 take the matter En- hand and
see what should be- done