Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-05-07
STATE HEALTH BOARD QuARAN
TINES MANY RESIDENTS At
sHELL ROCK.
LOCAL HEALTH PHYSICIAN
SAYS DISEASE 10 cHlckENPox
Health Board Declares Outbreak 10
smaIlpox-Dr. Smith, Local Health
Officer, Thsrsupen Resigns Aftsr
Service Of Thirty Ysars-Dissass
Has Been Prevalent Seventh Months.

Shell Rock, May because he re-
fused to recognize mild form type Of
chickenpox as being disease identical
with smallpox. DR.. w. H. Smith has
retired from the office of health ply
sician of this town, position he has
held for thirty years.
Since early winter there has been
prevalent in and about Shell Rock a
mildly eruptive disease, which has been
accepted and treated as smallpox in
other portions Of the state where it
prevails, and complaint is said to have
come from physicians adjacent to Shell
Rock, that the health officer Of this
burg was derelict in his duty. DR.. Nc
Manus, Of the state board of health,
paid visit to Shell Rock last week to
ascertain why the so-called smallpox
was not properly dealt with, and it
was after an interview he had with
DR.. Smith that the latter announced
his resignation.
Dr.. MeManus in Charge.
DR.. McManus then took charge OF
the situation, instituting several quar-
antines and advising general vaccina-
tions.
On other occasions DR.. Smith has
stood between the people Of Shell ROCK
and what he regarded as unjustifable
quarantine and his stubborn adherence
to the correctness of his diagnosis, has
on several occasions come near costing
his license AS physician.
Some five years ago he fought
battle royal in the courts to maintain
his status as a physician and the
decision Of the supreme court was
finally to the effect tnat the
state board was clothed with such az
bitrary power that they could take MS
certificate If they so desired, but so
strongly had the public become ar
rayed on the side Of the doctor, who
in his community holds a position akin
to DR.. McClure's in Drumshea, that the
board had not temerity to put into
force the edict the court decided they
had right to invoke.
Diseases Not Same.
Asked as to what might be under
stood by his present action. so little IN
keeping with his bold defies of the
past, DR.. Smith said:
1T simply means that 1~have given
up the fight. 10 adhere to my honest
convictions with reference to con-
tagious disease and at the same time
retain my position as health officer
would mean a period of strife and
turmoil in this community such as we
went thru once before. and do not
want to be responsible for it.
IL am an old man. and fighting is
no longer to my taste. But in stand
1a&t l.
cine have it's way. l still adhere TO
the correctness OF my position, winch
is that chickenpox and smallpox
are distinct types of disease. with no
relation whatever to each other. My
conviction is based upon as much ex-
perience and perhaps more than mas
been had by any physician In Iowa.
AS a young man for whole year
was connected with the Mercy hos
pital pest house Of Chicago, where 1t
was my duty to classify the cases OF
conta gious disease, often mounting
to as high as 100 a day. and to con-
sign them to their proper wards.
But 1 do not care to say much re-
garding the present matter. l should
feel negligent Of my duty. however, II
did not ask you to warn people
against submitting to vaccination
against the disease formerly known as
chickenpox, for very serious results
are apt to ensue.
Left to run its course without any
special treatment, chickenpox ends
without leaving complications behind
it and fatalities are almost unknown.
"And I don't mind adding that it is
my belief that chickenpox is now
officially designated as smallpox by or
ganized medicine because there are
greater financial possibilities in the
more severe disease"