Pioneer press. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1882-19??, 1914-02-21
SMALLPOX CASE
IN THIS COUNTY
DANGER OF SPREAD
is VERY REMOTE
inty Board Of Health Officials
fake Prompt Action and They Be-
lleve it Will be Confined to the
One Case Carried in From Doe
Gulley-People all Vaccnated.

GulIey-People all Vaccinated.
The announcement that Hedgesville
has a well-deined case CT smallpox
y the person of negro. Theodore
tomas, who is confined in the
home of another colored man, Will
liam Mason, is causing no little un-
eastness. not only in the town, but
=: the county of Berkeley. which has
* ne through Il couple Of expensive
epidemics Of this fever, one of the
most loathsome diseases of the erup-
the class, in the past eighteen months
The victim Of this dread malady,
came to the home of Mason about
ten days ago from Doe Gulley, where
y, had been working for railroad
obstruction contractors, and where
II least some Of the camps are known
to be infected.
DR.. Ross, who was first in the case,
called in consultation DR.. D. P Frye,
md they together diagnosed the case
~ smallpox, yesterday. This was
Sunday evening, and today DR.. W. T.
Eenshaw, president Of the Berkeley
f:ountys Board of Health, went to
>Hedgesvi1le and at once put into ef-
feet necessary quarantine measures,
including guard for the premises of
h.ason.
AS there has not yet been sufficient
time for incubation in any cases
where people came in contact with
Thomas and might have been infect
81, 1t is now impossible to place any
estimate on the outcome. All the
members Of the family of William
Mason were vaccinated last Febru-
airy. At this time DR.. Frye, who had
been appointed by the county board
of health to carry out the legal vac
ciDation rules under the state law.
vaccinated about four hundred pLo-
PIE IN the Hedgesville community es
precai tionary measure, at that time
esp clally in need because Of the ex,
istence Of several smallpox cases at
Baxter and at Butts Mills, only FIVE
miles distant.
Practically all the people in the
neishborhood of Hedgesville nave
been immuniZed by vaccination, in.
Guiding the school children OF the
town. DR.. Frye met with pronounc.
ed opposition In many cases last
spring to the vaccination campaign
he was conducting, ana one Of the
parties strenuously Directing, was
tho man Mason, who nov has the
smallpox In his home.
DR.. Henshaw at this time, is un
able to estimate the outcome, except
that the thorough and general vaccin-
alton will prove effective in most
cases, and that but few people If ny
were exposed to Thomas. II is i'm.
possible to get complete trace Of his
movements after he landed in He'd.
gcsville. The mayor Of ,Hedgesville
at once had the case isolated in the
home where it was found before the
county health authorities had time
to act.
Summing 1t all up, the, local physi-
clans, the citizens Of Hedgesville and
DR.. Henshaw, take faYorable view
Of the matter and hope for the best.
There is no need Of people being
afraid to transact business IN He'd
gesville, as they cap not possibly be
exposed to the sick, r., y, r.t,,,,
In 1928 Berkeley county had her
share in smallpox epidemics, In all
"a cases, that cost the county IN In
round numbers s6,Seo>oo. and no end
Of Inconvenience to, people and q no
ticeable loss in lf business, The county
board Of health has been very active
in enforcing cin vaccination regulations
under the state /, law, and have sue
ceededo in Al sattt satisfactory measure in
the faoeo Of pronounced opposition In