The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-04-15
HAD SMALLP0X,BUT
DIDN'T STOP WORK
Negro Barber III With Disease
for Several Days Before
Leaving His Shop.
MANY PEOPLE WERE EXPOSED
Victim Hurried to Hospital
When Case Was Reported
to Health Board.

Another case OF smallpox was re-
ported TO the Richmond Health De-
partment yesterday morning, the pa
tient being George johnson. colorcd,
twenty-three years old, who has been
living for some time at 3lS North
Eighteenth Street in boarding house
kept by C. n. Johnson. He is barber
employed at the shop of j. II. Spears,
IA North Seventeenth street, in rear
of the Railroad Young Mems Christian
Association. johnson was taken sick
on Tuesday, April .. and although the
eruption appeared on Friday. April
S. he continued. working in the barber
shop through last Monday. lie saw
no physician until late in the after
noon C Wednesday. when he called
at the Office of Church iii ply
stefan, who at once recognized the sus-
picious nature of the eruption and
reported the case Immediately TO the
Health Department.
DR.. w. r. Foster, medical inspector.
and Dr. w. j. West. diaGnostic!an OF
the Health Department, saw Johnson
within two hours, but certain obscure
features of the case made the dag
nosis somewhat uncertain until yes
terday morning, when Johnson was
again seen, and promptly sent to the
smallpox hospital Johnson claims
lndt ne Hdu DeeH SdCClHdteU, but Lnat
1t did not take. He has no scar to in
fully vaccinated.
Source of Contngion.
This case was probably contracted
from the last reported case, that of
sam Edwards. negro tramp, who was
discovered with smallpox after hav-
ing been taken to the City Home on
March 16. Edwards gave clear his
tory of having contracted tho disease
In North Carolina He had been going
around town. especially in the neigh
borhood in which the present case
developed for several days before GO
ing TO the City Home.
This is the eighth case OF smallpox
reported in Richmond this year. All
of these were contractcd outside of
Richmond. except three that Develop
ed in Locust Alley following case
that came in from North Carolina. and
was not diagnosed or reported to the
Health Department until the other
cases contracted from 1t had devel-
oped
In fact, there has been no smallpox
in Richmond except cases contracted
outside of town, or else developing as
the last three above mentioned, for
the past two years.
Many Have Been Exposed.
The present case of smallpox has
certain features which make vaccina-
tion important Chief among these is
the fact that Johnson has been going
around with the disease for more than
a week, and has been working in a
barber shop until three days ago.
Vaccinators were put In this terri
tory promptly, but owing to the ma
ture of Johnson's employment and to
his living in a boarding house, num-
Der of persons have probably been
exposed. All persons who are not
properly protected by vaccination are
advised to attend to this matter at
once Any one desiring to be vacci-
mated can call at the office OF the
Board of Health in the City Han any
morning between . and II o'clock
Great Expense to City.
The serious expense to which the
city of Richmond is put by the care
lessness of other communities was the
subject of some comment by Chief
Health officer Levy in recent
bulletin issued by the Board of Health,
in the course of which he said
"Managers of manufacturing estab-
lishments and of other industries en-
ploying large numbers of persons
should insist that every employe be
properly protected by vaccination. a
single case OF SlndiIpoN III SuSii O.
establishment might easily cause
enormous financial loss to the owners,
to say nothing of the possibility OF
thus starting an outbreak OF the dis
ease In the community. When our
Legislators finally became fully inn
pressed with the Importance of pro-
lection of the public health In gen.
eral. and with the actual facts In CON
nection with smallpox and vaccination
in particular. we may hope TO see
them pass law to the effect that no
person shall take into his employ any
one who is not properly vaccinated,
Just as at present school boards are
empowered not TO allow unvaccinated
children to enter the public schools.
Any person unable to secure employ
ment because not properly vaccinated
should until vaccinated be supported
at the expense of the State--in prison"
BoehlinG Suit on Trial.
Trial was begun yesterday in the
Law and F,uuity Court OF the case of