The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-04-30
Tells About Case Of Smallpox
At kerns' Residence
from Mondays oany.

FFuUt Wouudy y SsUvs
DIR. w. T. DeCoster. who caused
Peter Harkee to be taken to the
Kerns residence. 232 Lincoln street,
10 be operated upon for abdominal
trouble, on "Wednesday morning. but
was interrupted. In this by DIR. A. r.
Schmitt. the city health officer, who
found what he considered TO be a case
OF smallpox I'm the house at the time,
told his side OF the affair to The Free
Press today.
II did not know" said DIR. DeCos-
ter, Eat the time | was getting ready
to operate upon Mr.. Harkee that |
had case of smallpox In the house.
I'm fact, | am not even now ready to
! say that II Is a case OF small pox. IL
Is true that ! had conceded this much
to DIR. Schmitt, that in my official
report ON the case ! called II n case
of atypical variola or atypical small
pox. The usual symptoms Of small
pox, qualification of vesicles and Sec
ondary high fever were. and are.
lacking. There Is no high ten oera-
| ture and has not been.
This patient is Walter Matson, a
student from Lake Preston, 8. ID. He
was brought to the Kerns. residence
to be operated upon for abdominal
trouble. The operation was success
full He has done very well. He eats
well now, and has shown none of the
usual symptoms OF smallpox.
II m..'- =: attempt to conceal Mat
| son from DIR. Schmitt. | went up
with DIR. Schmitt to the room where
| expected to find him. He was not
there, and said he might have gone
out walking. On inquiry we found
him in another room.
Il told DR.. Schmitt that 4 did not
think II was smallpox. said IL II
was smallpox, did not see why the
man did not have vesication, umbili-
! cation of vesicles or secondary fe-er
| He has had none Of these things. He
has been taken to the detention hos
| pital. but he is feeling fine, and eat
I, ing heartily.
/ Il feel that l might have saved the
I life of Peter Harkee II | had been
/! allowed to go ahead and operate
upon him, as | had intended to do
: He was i'm a desperate condition
Every moment was vital. Yet he lay
there upon the table for all of ar
hour.
"The first time saw Matson was
on Thursday afternoon, April is, a
1880 i'm the afternoon. l was called
In by DIR. Fallahee, the chiropractor
! Matson had been taken some time
Tuesday noon with symptoms Of ar'
4 pendicitis. We operated upon hin
that evening ut seven o'clock In the
q Kerns place. This Is not a genera
hospital, but we have had two case:
OF abdominal surgery there.
"Just before the operation, thu
boys temperature was 1898 and hi
pulse was 12O. at the operation, thu
abdomen was found full of peritonea
fluid, that had to be drained on. ID.
l11:3O that night the temperature o
the boy had dropped from 1898 t
100 IS and the pulse from 10 to ~
! The boy said he felt good.
"By Saturday morning the boy sa
i up In a chair. noticed ON his necl
above the collar two red marks tina
;. Indicated that he might be subjec
ito acme. That does not amount q
lanything. thought they might In
A dictate ring worm. But there ar
many things that start with svcl
d, symptoms.
MANY people may have an idei
that Il Is easy to diagnose case o
smallpox. IL Is not. II Is often quit
a delicate matter. This lad did no
present the typical eruption OF vari
ola of modification OF vesicles ant
had no secondary fever. His tenn
perature has been normal since tn,
third day of the operation. The de
3 yelopment of the eruption the las
few days does point to its being yari
:; ola,-modified variola, more than an.
other disease and as such has beef
treated, though the very importan
symptoms of modification OF vesicle
!, and OF fever have not presented.
from Mondays Daily.
Il Governor Hammond signed the bill
Saturday permitting boxing matches
I'm the state. and named as two oil tn
three commissioners to regulate bout
Frank B. Thompson. st. Paul, ant
George p. Douglas, Minneapolis. MI
Douglas announced he will not serve
The governor vetoed the bill pho
hibiting the killing or sale OF frogs
and the measure abolishing the offic
of hotel inspector and placing tn
duties under the dairy and food com
missioner.
When he shut his desk and starte
for st. James to spend Sunday, rest
ling. after handling all the session
hills he had approyed or dissaprove