Evening star., 1905-10-28
DEATH FROM SMALLPOX
SOURCE OF VAN DER LAS INFEC-
TON FOUND.

Harry B. Van der Las. the clerk Of the
office Of the property clerk in the District
building who was stricken with smallpox
just a week ago, but whose ailment
was not SO diagnosed until late Thurs
day night. died at the smallpox hos
pital last evening. and almosa cotnc1-
dent with the fatal termination of Van der
Las case came the discovery by the health
office inspectors Of the source Of his In
fection. Van der Las contracted the dis
ease from his brother, David e. Van der
Las. but thds discovery and announcement
by the health authorities, instead Of quiet
Ing the alarm, has accelerated 1t MANIFOLD.
because David Van der Las, as lately as
Friday, October 20 was introduced to
most of the employees in the property clerks
office by his brother, now deceased, and
most Of the clerks shook hands with him.
At that time David Van der Las thought
he was recovering from chfckenpox. be-
cause the pox scabs all over his body were
peeltng off. Since the discovery of the real
nature OF the malady 1t has not taken
long for the District building employees
and others, who have been closely aSsoci-
ated with David Van der Las, to learn
that the phase OF smallpox through which
he passed during the ten days just ended
was most dangerous to people with whom
he came in contact.
David Van der Las was taken from his
nome, lL45 duncan street northwest, 10 the
smallpox hospital this morning, and with
him went his eighteen-months-old daugh-
ter. who had also contracted the disease
from him. Mrs. David E. Van der Las is
still in her home, but the house Is quaran-
tined.
Particularly Sad Case.
The case Of Harry B. Van der Las is
particularly sad one. In the first place, the
nature of the malady was not known un-
til the case was SO far advanced that there
was practically no hope for recovery-and
when the diagnosis of smallpox was made
and the patient hurried away to the hospi-
tai his wife was necessarily separated from
him. She was taken to the quarantine sta
ton and there. unable even to attend the
funeral. she must stay for two full weeks.
The body Of Harry B. Van der Las will
be buried this afternoon.
David E. Van der Las, an employe in the
repair department, District OF Columbia,
was taken sick on October 3. and he laid
off work from the 9th until the oath. when
he again reported for duty, and was as
signed to the gang engaged in renovating
the seventh precinct police station. He
worked there Tuesday, Wednesday, Thurs
day and yesterday. and in this connection
another portion of the District government
Is in a ferment over the possibilities of
smallpox infection. All OF the policemen in
the seventh precinct are apprehensive, and,
Quutf al OTueI lfOh the nedlCQ department,
all OF the bluecoats were lined up this aft
ernoon and vaccinated. In addition to this
the station house Will be thoroughly funi-
gated and all Of Van der Las associates
on the repair gang will be vacclnated.
The further possibilities of spread Of the
infection from this one improperly dag
nosed case are indicated In the precautions
taken by the District government even In
connection with the pay roll. It seems that
some Of the vouchers went through the
hands Of Harry Van der Las, and after
disbursing officer All the papers viii be
fumigated today.