Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1912-12-20
THE SMALLPOX
SITUATION HAS
BECOME SERIOUS
There Are Many Cases Report
ed Near the City.
SCHOOL BOARDS ASKED
TO TAKE ACTION

County Health Officer, Or. Henshaw
Sounds Warning Note to the People
All Cases are ouarantined ans
are seing Closely euarded-The
Schools May be Closed.
The smallpox situation III Berkeley
county has reached q stage where ii
has become necessary for everybody
to exercise extreme caution to pre-.
vent the spread of the disease. While
the authorities have all OF the pa
tents quarantined, they are afraid
that strangers coming in will bring '
the disease with them, and thereby
cause an epidemic.
DR.. Henshaw, county health officer,
when seen today, gave brief history
OF the disease since it first develop.
ed in the county, and laid particular
stress upon the importance Of the
people being careful He also urges
the school boards 10 have the chill
dren vaccinated or close the schools
indefinitely.
The first case to develop was that
of Charles Taylor. colored, at the
Blair quarries Taylor came here
from Cumberland, Md, and on the
day OF his employment became ill.,
lie was at once isolated to corner
of the property and placed in charge
Of a nurse and guard
The next eases developed at the
Security Plant. They were promptly
isolated and guards and nurses plac-
ed in charge. Following this William
Gordon who is employed by John
Burns, who lives two miles from He'd
gesville. became i'll. Gordon had re-
Gently visited the family Of John Rid
eout, 4 miles west of the city at what
is known as the Pine Hills. He had
been working at Cumberland, Md, but
had come to the Rideout home about
election day.
A peculiar eruption developed about
his face and extended to his throat
and over his body. Other members
of the Gordon family in time con
tracted the same disease. They we're
not sick enough, however, TO stay in
the house and were treated by one Of
our physicians from his Office in the
city.
On Friday night Or, TonlSin tele-
phoned DR.. w r. Henshaw that he
suspected that Bernard Baker, who
lives about 100 yards from the Rid
eout home had contracted smallpox.
Baker was at once quarandned and
placed in charge of nurse and
guard. Harry Washington and his
family, living near NanclevesviIle,
We're quarantined on Friday.
Saturday DR. Eenshaw went to
raise the quarantine at the Blair quar-
ries, but found another man by the
name of Garfield colored, among
those who had been confined with
pronounced case of smallpox.
On Sunday Drs Meyers, Clay and
Henshaw went over the entire field
and agreed that the Rideouts and
had varioloid; that Bak-
er and the others were typical cases
OF smallpox in what is known as dis
Greet form.
1T wiiR be absolutely necessary for
the public to join in every possible
way to stamp out this highly contag
ious and ioathsome disease, said Dr.
Henshaw.
Report promptly TO DR.. Clay, city
health officer. and DR. lIeushaw, coun-
~ health officer. all persons who may
he suspected of yarioloid, smallpox
or any other erupted dis
ease. Furthermore, it would be nee
essary that the various school boards
in the county to ordcf immediate vac
or close the schools for an
period"
The report appearing in the Balti-
more Sun to the effect that DIR, Hen
,hsw had appealed to Governor Glass
cock for portion OF the state mill
tia to guard the patients is untrue.
The doctor asked for tents, and they
were placed al his disposal All Of
the patients are being well cared for