The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-11-23
vERMoNT's SMALLPOX.
Secretary Holton Of State Board Of
Health Tells of Situation.

Burlington, Nov. 23.-The smallpox
epidemic in Vermont was told about at
some length last night by DR.. II. D..
Holton, secretary of the Vermont state
board of health, who was in the city
temporarily.
Several weeks ago" said DR. Holton,
"and before the outbreak of smallpox
in Vermont, | called attention, in one
of the bulletins Of the state board of
health, to the fact that this disease was
prevailing in New Hampshire, especially
in some of the mill towns, and that the
state, as well as local physicians, should
be on the lookout for cases coming to
their attention.
"Not only has small pox been preva-
lent in New Hampshire, but there has
been an epidemic Of it in the vicinity Of
Providence, Rhode Island, and cases OF
the disease have been common all over
the country, since last summer. But it
has appeared in a mild form wherever ii
has been reported. There is a great diff
ference in the yirulence of the disease in
different years, and this year it has
been so mild as to pass without being
recognized in many cases.
MY attention was first called to the
presence of smallpox in this state by DIR.
S. T.. Darling of Hardyick. He is the
health officer in that town, and about IL
years ago he had experience with an epi-
demic of smallpox in a mild form in
HardwicS, 50 that he recognized the dis
ease at once the moment it appeared
there this fall. Elsewhere in the state
there were health officers and physi-
clans who had never seen a case Of
small pox, so that the disease was not
always recognized promptly.
"Dr. Darling notified me at once, and
I went to Hardwic<. The source of the
disease there were traced to the vicinity
of Greensboro, and it was found that
there had been a number of cases Of a
mild eruptive disease in Greensboro and
vicinity that had not been recognized
as smallpox A few cases Of smallpox
were also found in Morrisville, but these
were traced TO different source in New
Hampshire"
DR.. Holton took prompt and decisive
measures to stop the spread Of the dis
ease wherever he found it, Nowhere did
the victims seem to be very i'll, and there
were no deaths from IT, But Dr. Holton
closed mp the schools and churches, and
in some cases he ordered that proposed
auctions should be postponed and it is
now his belief that the spread of the
disease has been checked, and that the
epidemic is under control.
"The extension Of the disease" said
he last evening, "has probably been
stopped. ] think they have seen the
worst Of IT,"
The epidemic, he stated, has been con-
fined principally to Orleans and Gale
donia counties. It's only appearance in
Washington county so far has been pos
sibly in the town of Cabot. DIR. Holton
said that there were six cases in Nor
risylle, possibly five in Hardwick, two
in Craftsbury, about % in Greensboro,
and about 25 in the town of Walden.
He said that no cases were known to
have existed in Lyndon, Stannard, Iras-
burg, Albany, or St. Johnsh,uy, in spite
OF reports to the effect that there were
cases in those towns. AS for Cabot, the
presence of the disease there at all, said
DR.. Holton, was doubtful, and no new
cases have been reported from Green's
boro
DR.. Holton said also that if no new
cases appear within two weeks, it may
be considered that the disease is practi-
eally stamped out, for the incubation
period" Of the cases which may vet de-
relop from those who have contracted
the disease will have expired.