Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1906-01-18

While Victims of the Horrible Disease
Fell All About Them, Mr.. Hyatt and
His Family, With Vaccination AS
Their Only Weapon, Lived Un.
harmed.
Commissioner OF Health Samuel G.
Dixon has received the following letter
from John T. Hyatt, of Jersey Shore,
Pa, former Vice-Consul at Santiago,
telling of Mr.. Hyatt's personal expe-
rience in fighting smallpox with vac
cine virus:
Jersey Shore, Pa, Jan. 4, 1906.
Hon. Samuel G. Dixon, Commissioner
of Health Harrisburg, Pa:
Dear Sir-As at Lock Haven and
other parts of the state there is so
much opposition to vaccination, as re-
quired by the Act of June Is, 1895 /
feel constrained to write you some of
my own experiences and observations
with reference to that subject.
I was American Vice-Consul at SAINT
iago De Cuba from 1898 to 1897 inclu-
sive. The influx to Santiago from the
rural districts, where, on account of
the revolution, it was very dangerous
to live, was very heavy, and particu-
larry after the inhuman reconcentra-
ton order of General Weyler. In 1895
industry was stined and poverty and
starvation were reigning supreme at
Santiago, meat selling as high as 75c.
and 81 pound, eggs at 10c. apiece, and
other things at proportionate prices.
At this time yellow fever and small
pox broke out in the most virulent
form. 1t was estimated at the time
that during that year there were 10000
cases of yellow fever and 10000 cases
of smallpox in the city of Santiago.
AS l recollect 1t now, the death rate
from these two causes alone in that
city ascended to level of from GO to
100 deaths per day.
The Spanish government, unmindful
of the welfare of the people, took little
or no steps o stamp out the scourges,
and although private enterprise I'M
ported a considerable amount of vac
cine virus, yet the Indifference OF the
authorities and the opposition of the
illiterates, being perhaps about 70 per
cent of the population, prevented any
considerable amount of vaccination.
No efforts were made at quarantln-
| ing. Those suffering in various stages
| of smallpox walked about the streets,
mingling with the people unmolested,
and many of them came into the con-
sulate on business. Smallpox broke
out in nearly all of the houses in the
vicinity of the consulate. One man, |
remember particularly, afflicted with
the dreadful disease in its continent
! form, lay in my plain sight in the open
! air under the caves of house stand
| ing back in the adjacent lot, not more
! than 40 feet from where | worked at
| my desk, with the breeze blowing from
| him to me, and / saw this man die and
! his corpse carried away.
My father and mother and wife were
| with me at this time, and as soon as
| the smallpox broke out we were all
! vaccinated. although we had each been
! successfully vaccinated in previous
! years The vaccination took slightly
| with each member of our family, and
| we were all yaccinated regularly there
after every month or two. in order to
use every possible precaution, but the
vaccination did not take in any case
! practically after the first application.
! Whenever fresh virus came to the
consulate from the States we distrib-
uted the supply where IL seemed to be
! most advisable. Although constantly
| exposed to continent smallpox for
| nearly two years. none of my family
| took the disease. Neither did others at
! Santiago during that eventful period
who were careful to be successfully
I Vaccinated. rs ! recollect now from in
quiries then made although the dead
wagons were carrying such continu-
Gus freight TO the cemetery that IL was
/ a common thing for the sexton and his
help when night fen TO find 20 or 80
more oorpses on their hands for inter
mont thau they were able to bury, and
which they had to leave out all night
in tho cemetery and bury In the morn
ing.
II this letter can be of any help 20
You in your magnificent work OF en-
tightening the people Of this Common
wealth on The Importance OF vaccina-
tion you have my permission to use a.
Nery respectfully yours.
JOHN T. HYATT