Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1906-04-25
IT'S SMALLPOX
|cpEciAl COMMITTEE so PRO. NouNcEs CASE OF PROF. HAM.
 MoND, WEST FIFTH AVENUE
Sensational Allegations Made Against phvsicians at Special Meeting
 of the Board of Health.

The case of Prof. Hammond, who Is ;,1 at the boarding house of Mrs. Gust er on West Fifth avenue, was lnvesu' asted by committee of physicians annointed by the board of health tues dav evening. and the unanimous state- ,,ont of those physicians was that the oatient was suffering with we'll de- yeloped case of smallpox. The mousse cas ouarantined at once and all the inmates ordered vaccinated or com nelled to remain in the house.
 The meeting of the board was heio in response to a call issued by Mayor White Monday. and the appointment of the committee was in compliance ,,,;+b his request. The committee was composed of Drs. Gallagher and Hank insnn. of the board of health, and pr. Blackwell. who is not member of the board. but who has had charge of all the city smallpox cases, and in VIC" of his extensive experience, is an au- thority upon the disease.
 If was reported to the authorities Monday that Prof. Hammond had smallpox, but on Monday night Drs. Williams. Blankenship and Caruthers, members of the board of health, lssu- ed a statement that the patient was suffering with chickenpoX. The peo- pie residing in the vicinity were not satisfied with this statement, however, and made complaint to Mayor Whlte, who directed Dr. Blackwell to make an investigation. Dr. Blackwell went to the house for that purpose, but it is said that Dr. Luck, who is son-ln- law of Mrs Custer, and makes HIS home with her, refused to allow Dr. Blackwell to see the patient.
 This was reported to Mayor White. who as precaution directed Sanitary Officer Currie to display a smallpox banner at the premises. This was also objected to by the members of the family, and policemen were sent out to protect MT. Currie in the dis charge of his duty. After the banner had been put up and the officers had gone, it was taken down, MT. Currie stating that he saw pr. Blakenship. the secretary of the board of health, pynr, h a had placed it..
 Guards were placed at the house Tuesday night, and Chief of Police Stewart directed the officers to bring any person who attempted to take down the banner or interfere with them in any manner to police head quarters.
 Growing Serious
 There is no question that the small pox situation is growing serious in this city on account of the failure of some of the physicians to report the cases when they develop, and heroic measures will probably have to be resorted to to stop this interference with the authorities in their, efforts 10 control the situation.
 :, It was admitted at the meeting of the board of health Tuesday afternoon that the result of the diagnosis of sus- picious cases depends largely upon who the patient was; that it if it was a poor negro the disease was pronounc- ed smallpox, while if it was a good raying patient the disease was pro- nounced chickenpox, black measles Or the Cuban itch, said Mayor White.
 A reputable physician who was at the meeting of the board stated that the age at which people have chick enpox is from six months to six years, cases where adults had the disease being extremely rare. While this is the case. more than seventy five per cent of the white people who are stricken with a suspicious disease are declared by the attending physi- clan to have chickenpox, measles or the Cuban itch. said Mayor White.