The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-10-11
wv
sNsss Board of Health Was
Called to Barre Today
FINDS SIX CERTAIN CASES
Four Other Cases Are Held Under Sus-
picion and State Board Urges Great
Precautions to Prevent Fur
ther Spread of Disease.

The state board of health was called
to Barre to-day to view several patients
who had what local Health Officer j. w.
jackson thought to be smallpox After
careful examination of the cases, Dr'
c. S. Caverly, president of the state
board, pronounced six of them as small
pox and four as suspicious.
The six cases are: w. d. Mcdonald,
IA South Main street; +. J. Batchelder,
II South Main street; Charles T. Camp
bell, Bolster avenue; +. j. Ahearn, Al
East street, Earl Cheney, Buzzell block,
Pearl street; Avon Hall, Tomasi block,
Cottage street.
The first intimation the health officer
had OF the cases was when he was called
in to look at one OF the sick persons
yesterday afternoon, and having suspi-
cions that it might be smallpox the To-
cal officer called in the state board of
health to examine the patients
As result of the diagnosis. the health
officer and the board OF health have taken
immediate steps to prevent a spread of
the disease, and it is hoped that it win
be confined to the cases already devel-
oped. DIR. Caverly has issued the fol-
lowing statement and recommendations
to the local health officer:
TO the Local Board of Health,
"Dr. J. w. Jackson, Health Officer,
Barre, Vermont
Gentlemen: With Dr. Ladd. the in
spector of this board, | have this morn.
ing seen six positive cases of small po,t
in your city. | have also seen four cases
that are extremely suspicious. There
is no question but what there has been
g very general exposure of your citizens,
by means of the first case,
which occurred in letter carrier.
Prompt and energetic action is therefore
necessary If this disease is to be stopped
To this end | would recon-
mend as folIows
First, either DIR. Jackson, the health
officer, or some other physician, should
be employed regularly to devote his
whole time for the present and as long
as may be necessary to caring for those
that are sick. locking up those who have
been exposed, and yaccinating all who
need it.
Second, a general vaccination of your
7itizens is imperative. Every person who
IS known to have been exposed must be
yaccinated at once or kept under quar-
lntne for three weeks. The city must
provide at once a large supply of vac
,ine virus for this purpose.
Third, all public gatherings in this
'ity, including the public schools, should
,e discontinued for the present. Any
yeneral meeting or convention planned
or this city for the next month should
,e abandoned.
Fourth. suitable building, or better,
wo buildings. should be taken for an
ISOLATION hospital and temporary de-
ention hospital for suspicious cases.
he surest way of stopping the disease
viii be to take every suspicious case at
nee to temporary observation hos
ital, and from there to the isolation
ospital as they develop positive symp-
oms.
Fifth. I need not perhaps say. but I
'ould emphasize the fact, that every
ouse in which there is at present a
use must be put under strict quaran-
ne. and sufficient police service pro-
ded for the local health department by
lie city so that there can be no ques-
on about the effectiveness of the quar-
ltine. ! might say that small pox is
cold weather disease. and the appear
ace of it at this season of the year is
ninous of trouble for the next six
onths. This should stimulate you to
Try energetic and thorough measures
II stamping it out.
Yours respectfully,
Charles S. Caverly, NJ. d..
"Prest. State Bd. Health"