The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-06-18
SMALLPOX CASE
At POS T-OFF|C {
Mail Bags Handled by Driver
Destroyed and Mail Thor
oughly Fumigated.
ANOTHER CASE DOWNTOWN
Negro Employed as Workman at
New Bank Building Also
Stricken.

a sharp fright was injected into the
downtown section Of the city yester-
day By the discovery of smallpox
cases at the post-ofilce and at the new
building being erected for the First
National Bank at Ninth and Main
Streets. While neither case appeared
virulent upon medical examination,
| both had passed tho incipient stage.
and We're capable OF spreading tho
infection. Both cases were brought TO
the attention of DR.. C. C. Hudson. OF
the Health Department. yesterday
morning. and received prompt emcrg-
ency treat mcnt.
AS an offset to the outbreak, DR..
HUDSON and the health officials ad-
| Niaed wholesale vaccination. AS the
Health Department no longer enforces
compulsory vaccination and does
Gratuitously only at much as can be
done by DR.. Hudson, most OF those in
my way exposed TO the contagion Will
practitioner. Not only the homes OF
the two patients were thoroughly fumi-
gated and quarantined. hut the articles
which had touched their hands were
destroyed or disinfected
Mnil Bngs Destroyed.
Inc most threatening OF the two
cases is the one discovered in tho
post-ofiice, because OF the number of
people who were exposed. The victim
is Joe Harris. of 400 Katherine street.
who drives a mail wagon Harris was
taken sick on June I. going 10 bed on
June 10, when he broke out with what
ne thought was a case OF chickenpox
In spite of his conditions. he reported
FOR work yesterday morning carly,
m he. has H.,
and Ohio Railway Station before his
appearance attracted the attention @:
post office employees
The marks on his face finally SO
alarmed the authorities that Dr. Hud-
son was appealed TO for an exarn!na-
ZION. AS soon as the official discov-
cred the real nature of the disease
he rushed Harris TO the smallpox hos
pita!. ordered the mail bags which had
been handled by Harris burned and
thoroughly fumigated the mailing
room. Harris's home was d!sintected
md put under quarantine.
fortunately. DR. Hudson succeeded
In obtaining the NAL bags which
Harris had taken to the station and
had them burned Immediately The
mail wagon was dlsinfected and all
employees who were either directly or
indirectly exposed were vaccinated
The official further advised the vacci-
i"b"n Vi eihpioycs IN the Chesapeake
and Ohio station.
Whole Lodge Exposcd
The second case. that of Mitchell
Bra%ton. negro laborer living at $50
North Twcnty-seventh Street. and en-
ployed by the Fuller Construction
Company in the erection OF the First
National Bank skyscrapcr. was brought
TO DR.. Hudson's attention q few hours
later BraNton was taken sick June
?. and broke out with smallpox on
Saturday. During the interim be-
tween his first illness and the actual
appearance of the marks, Braxton
was visited by number of negroes.
most OF whom are members of a col
ored organization known as Israel
Lodge.
After putting Braxton's house under
rigid quarantine. Dr.. hudson began
tho task OF learning who had been
exposed to the Infection. Much to
the relief OF those connected with the
construction OF the bank building. the
health official does not believe there
is alarming danger OF an epidemic
from this case discovered among the
laborers there.
Besides ordering the burning OF all
tools or instruments handled by Brax-
ton in his work. DIR. Hudson advised
the vaccination OF all negroes employ
ed In the same gang with the sick
| man. Braxton Will be moved to the
smallpox hospital as soon as possible
l. SIX Gases Under Treatment.
Being unable TO find the addresses
of negroes. all of whom were direct
! ly exposed to the infection. DIR. Hud-
son asks that the list be published in
| order that any one whose namo ap-
| pears here may DO appriscd OF his
danger and be vaccinated this morn
| ing. These men were callers at Brax-
| tons house yesterday and were d.
rectly exposed TO the disease: Henry
Thorbs. Zach Hicks. Sam White.
| Thomas IIarrell, James Minis. Felix
| Rice, Henry fairfield. Walter Atker-
son. Richard Sully Isaac Roane, John
Pegram. George Moss. Hez Herbert.
Robert Nelson and Robert Allen.
| The appearance of these two cases
br ngs the total number of smallpox
patients under treatment In Richmond
at this time up to six. While this
condition is alarming at first glance.
the health officials find that none of
the detected cases is of a virulcnt
type. and they are confident that the
outbreak can he smothered
While Harris's handling of the
mail bags was enough to spread the
Infection If the bags had been sent
out. there is practically no danger
! that the germs could have been COM
mnnicated to the letters inside. To
be on the safe side. however, DR.. IIud-
son had all of the mail handled by the
negro fumigated.