Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-04
SMALLPOX At THE JAIL
A Remarkable Situation Has
Developed.
ITS NOW FEARED
AND QUARANTINE OVER WHOLE
JAIL Is EXTENDED.
Health Authorities Are at Sea Over
Situation = Inspection Of
North Wing.
ITSSPREADNOWF FEARED


One of the most peculiar situations re-
garding smallpox ever brought to the at
tention of the local health authorities, is
that now existing at the District jail. and
the big institution is likely to remain under
quarantine for many days to come.
In the first place the development of the
disease by Payton Sweet, the first negro
prisoner stricken, could not be traced-be-
cause he had been an inmate Of the jail for
almost month before he was taken sick.
Obviously then 1t was impossible for him
to have been infected before his commit
ment-and there was no other prisoner in
the whole institution from whom he could
have contracted the malady. Sweet ill
for several days before 1t was even Sus-
pected that he had smallpox and great were
the fears, after he had been taken to the
smallpox hospital. that a general outbreak
OF the disease would result, as a large num-
Der Of prisoners had been In close contact
with Sweet. The whole south wing of the
jail was therefore placed under quarantine
and not only were no additional prisoners
thrust in among the 1S3 men confined there
but even the prisoners whose terms ended
during the period of quarantine were not
released.
Authorities Hopeful Sunday.
1t was with great relief that the jail off,
Gals witnessed the dawn of Saturday MORN
Ing. because that date marked the end of
the sixteenth day. and it was believed the
quarantine would be lifted. To be sure an
other suspicious case had developed, that Of
Clark Lee, another negro prisoner, but Lee
had been confined in the north wing, and he
was sent to the quarantine station.
Instead of 10Y, however, Saturday brought
a small-sized panic among the prisoners,
for when the health office inspectors went
among the twenty-one prisoners who were
to- be released, it was discovered that near
Iy every one had a temperature above the
normal. On that account the quarantine
was ordered continued for another twenty
four hours.
AS was stated in Sundays Star. 1t was the
belief that the high temperatures noted
among the prisoners whose terms had end
ed were due to excitement over their an
ticipated liberty and this belief was cor
roborated yesterday morning when a second
examination showed that normal tempera-
lures prevailed among the twenty-one.
These men were not ordered confined tndef-
fee It was declared today that these men
had been released yesterday morning.
Two Have Smallpox.
In the meantime Clark Lee. the prisoner
who was removed to the quarantine sta
smallpox, and he was transferred to the
smallpox hospital. Closely following that
announcement came another that Daniel
Bradley. another negro convict in the
north wing. was sick. and the health office
inspectors pronounced him to be suffering
from smallpox. He was Immediately re-
moved to the smallpox hospital.
In both the Lee and Bradley cases the
men had apparently safely passed the
twelfth day. after possible Infection by con-
tact with Payton Sweet, and their being
stricken at later date is regarded by the
health authorities as the peculiar feature
Of the situation. Previous experience would
seem to have demonstrated that smallpox.
IL 1t will develop at all. will be noticeable
not later than the twelfth day after ex-
posture, and the quarantine law providing
for isolation for sixteen days has hereto
fore been regarded as putting on the add
tional four days for the sake of extra pre-
caution. Lee was taken sick after the
twelfth day. and Bradley on the seven
tenth day after Payton Sweet, the origi-
nal smallpox sufferer at the jail, was re-
moved to the hospital. Bradley may have
been exposed to contagion from Lee, but
that Is regarded as unlikely, because both
he and Lee were finally pronounced to be
smallpox sufferers yesterday, and they
were admitted to the smallpox hospital al
most together.
inspection Of North Wing.
The unexpected turn of events incident to
the jump OF the disease into the supposedly
immune north wing of the jail created con-
sternation. and now all Of that wing, which
houses the prisoners committed for straight
jail sentences. is under strict quarantine.
The south wing, too, is being watched care
fully and every prisoner about to be re-
leased Is first examined carefully for posi-
BILE symptoms by the health office tnspec-
tors. In addition, the inspectors are today
making a canvass OF the whole Jail. ex-
aiming every prisoner there confined. The
west wing. in which Is located the hospital
ward, and which Is otherwise little used.
Will be turned into a temporary detention
ward. Each prisoner who shows tempera-
ture at all above the normal Will be moved
into this wing until he either develops
that his indisposition does not come under
the head of contagious disease.
Quarantine Extended.
In some quarters surprise has been ex-
pressed that the health authorities could
continue the quarantine over all of the Jail
for a longer period than the sixteen days
specified in the law. In reply to this Dr.
Woodward. the health officer, today quoted
a section of the act of Congress. approved
March 8. 1897. which reads as follows:
"And provided further. That any case
of sickness, the symptoms of which so re-
semble the symptoms Of any contagious
disease that such case cannot be 1mmedi.
ately distinguished from such disease, shall
be properly isolated by the person in charge
thereof until the nature Of such sickness Is
positively determined, or until the case has
completely recovered or died; and If such
case RECEIVERS or dies without the true ma
ture of the disease having been ascertain
ed, it shall be the duty of the person in
charge Of such case to adopt such measures
of isolation and disinfection as are required
by this act in cases Of contagious disease"