Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1908-01-30
CAIRNS ISSUES SIGNED
STATEMENT IN REPLY
More UnWelCome Advertising for
albuquerque over Scattering
Cases of Contagious Disease
Final Action Prob
able Now.

1t looks as though the city council
had not finished with the trouble re-
sulting from the recent city physic-
ians row and the question of pro-
viding respectable detention hos
pital for contagious diseases.
1t also looks as though Albuquer-
que would receive some more un-
welcome and Improbable advertising
because of the few scattering small
pox cases which caused the whole
trouble
The Citizen several days ago, re-
ported that Mrs. Wilson, who was re-
Gently confined in the pest house,
had decided to make charges against
the city and the city physician for
the poor accommodations and the
treatment accorded her while under
quarantine. Mrs. Wilson has made
public her charges, which will un-
doubtedly cause the city council to
81; up and take notice.
As soon as they reached DR.. earns,
tie city physician, he issued a sign
ed statement, which together with
the charges made by Mrs. Wilson,
Is published in full.
Or. earns undertakes to defend
himself against the allegations con-
ercning the pest house and his pro-
tess! Jnal conduct.
Since it appears that the matter is
becoming one of oemmor interest.
and concern in Albuquerque, both
communications are given in full.
1t is not for the good of the COM
munity that such things are too wide
ly advertised but 1t looks as though
the next meeting of the city council
will be a lively one and that some
final action will have to be taken to-
wards a detention hospital and the
revision of the city ordinances gov
ening contagious diseases.
Following is DR.. earns statement
in reply 20 the charges made by Mrs.
Wilson:
Albuquerque, y. NJ, Jan. 80.
To the Citizens of Albuquerque:
I have read the letter of Mrs. d.
T.. Wilson, dated Jan. 22, 1908. and
addressed to the Board of Health,
said letter having been published in
the Albuquerque Morning Journal on
this date. 1t is generally known that
an epidemic of small poX has pre-
vailed in this city since the month Of
November, 1907. Extraordinary eff
the spread of this epidemic and con-
fine it within the narrowest limits
possible. | have labored both night
and day to stamp out this disease and
the success of my efforts can be
judged when the fact is considered
that nearly all of the cases originated
in lodging or rooming houses in
which large numbers of people were
quartered. thereby facilitating the
spread of the disease not only among
the occupants of such places but TO
carry ii about the streets of the city,
and expose other people thereto. l
am not responsible for the appoint
ment which has been made for the
care Of the people afflicted by this
disease. The pest house was desig-
mated by the city of Albuquerque be-
fore my accession to the office of city
physician. | have i'm my official re-
port to the city made April II. 1907,
recommended that the city build a
hospital for contagious diseases and
gave as a reason therefor that the
present pest house is inadequate for
the treatment of cases of this kind.
This was special recommendation
contained in my said report, Re-
peatedly on other occasions l have
urged the city to construct such hos
pital and argued the necessity for
such hospital, placing it upon the
ground that small pox was one OF
the diseases most contagious and that
in this community there We're usually
more or less isolated cases.
In the case of Mrs. Wilson, / was
called by her brother-in-law DR.. E
n. Wilson, and a practicing physician
of the city When l first saw Mrs
Wilson l diagnosed her case as
small pox and she informed me that
she had never been vaccinated. When
] frs- saw her she was in the Occl-
dental building and I'm conference
with her and her husband, | submit
ted 10 them the choice Of permitting
her 10 remain In the occidental
building. informing her, however
that should she remain there. the
building must be quarantined as re-
quired by law. She did not wish the
building TO be quarantined. / then
suggested TO her and her husband
that she could be quarantined in
some other locality, either In or out
side Of the city. and gave TO her the