Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-23
PRACTICALLY CLOSED
GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIvER-
sITY HOSPITAL GUARANTEED.

BY agreement between the local health
department and the authorities of the
George Washington University Hospital,
that institution is practically closed for the
present owing to the development therein
of several cases of smallpox among the
nurses. The first floor of the hospital has
been placed under strict quarantine. while
the whole institution is practically subject
ed to the conditions of quarantine. These
measures have been taken as a precaution
against the possible spread of smallpox
among the nurses and patients in the hos
pital but 1t Is stated by the health authori-
ties that there is no occasion for alarm
over the situation. 1t Is the desire of the
department under such conditions exist
to be on the safe side and to take all pos
sible precautions for preventing serious
epidemic. Hence the quarantine measures.
Up to a late hour this afternoon three
nurses of the university hospital. Misses
Rebecca Blue, Edna Henson and Birdie
Thompson, have developed smallpox and
are now in the smallpox hospital, while
four other nurses of the Institution who
have been exposed to the disease have been
removed to the detention camp as smallpox
suspects. The nurses contracted the disease
from the late William F. Luddngton. for
mer civil engineer of st. Louis who was a
patient at the hospital with the disease.
Miss Henson and Miss Carey two nurses
who attended Mr.. Luddington, were placed
under quarantine on the top floor of the
nurses home Immediately after Ludding-
ton discovered to have developed
smallpox. Several days ago they were re-
moved to the detention camp. where Miss
Henson soon developed the disease. She was
placed in the smallpox hospital, and Miss
Carey was held at the detention camp. Miss
Carey's vaccination seems to have been sue
cesSful.
The Sick Nurses.
Miss Blue was taken Ill Tuesday morning.
but no eruptions appeared until midnight.
Miss Thompson. another nurse who was ex-
posed to the disease, was also taken Ill yes
terday and was removed to the detention
camp. Three other nurses who came into
contact with Nurses Blue and Thompson
were also taken to the detention camp.
Miss Blue was a special nurse in attendance
on a patient on the third floor. Her duties
did not call her to come in contact with
any one else, and the nature of the pa
tlents case would not permit her TO leave
the room for any length of time. Miss
Thompson. who developed the disease to-
day. was also a special nurse on the
first floor her patient being a man. whose
wife was in the room much of the time
These two patients. together with another
man who had opportunity to be ex-
posed and the wife of one patient have
been quarantined on the first floor
-Four nurses on the floor will be quaran-
tined with them. DR.. Woodward. the health
officer, and DR.. Fowler, his assistant, per-
Superintendent w. F. r. Phillips agreed
that these were all the persons whom they
believed might have been exposed.
Vaccinations Ordered.
According to the agreement entered into
between the hospital authorities and the
health department every one in the hospital
is to be vaccinated. There are ninety pa
tents IN the institution. but most of these.
together with the administration staff were
vaccinated when the disease first developed.
No new patients are to be taken in and no
one admitted to the hospital except on per-
mission of the superintendent or the health
officer. The offices of the hospital have
been moved from the first floor to the sec
Ond and the entrance to the new portion of
the hospital barred.
Patients in the hospital not under strict
quarantine may leave. but the health Of
hcer will first be notified and will keep
them under surveillance. All clothing or
articles taken from the quarantined ward
on the first floor are to be thoroughly dis
infected. 1t was stated at the hospital that
no who had been successfully vac
ctnated had developed the disease.
Inquiry at Another Hospital.
The health authorities were called out
this morning to another hospital in the
city for the purpose of investigating a
patient whom the physicians thought
might possibly have smallpox DIR. Fowler
afternoon that the case is not smallpox
and that there are no symptoms that this
disease will develop. The physicians at
the hospital told the health authorities
that they had diagnosed the case as one
of chickenpox. but in view of the circum-
stances they desired the health officer to
satisfy himself as to the nature of the
eruptions on the patient.
The health authorities declined to di-
vulge the name of the hospital in which
the case referred to is located, on the
ground that such reports would only arouse
unnecessary uneasiness and do an injustice
to the Institution.
With reference to the departure of pa
tfents from the George Washington Uni
versity Hospital Health officer Woodward
stated today that each case will be dealt
with individually. and IL the patient has
not been exposed TO smallpox. and there Is
considered to be possible danger OF
carrying the disease ne will be allowed to
leave the institution. large majority of
sc patients In the hospital, 1t is stated,
Ia re not been exposed to the disease