The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-10-09
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WASHINGTON. D. c. Oct o.
Reports Of the efficient manner In

WASHINGTON, D. c., Oct. g.
Reports Of the efficient manner In
which West Virginia, under the %.
pervision Of Governor Hatfield. hand
led the Cabin Creek flood disaster are
being wildly commented on in the east
where It Is considered as one Of the
best examples OF handling emergency
health situations that has ever arisen.
Sanitary engineers. In discussing It,
give great praise to the State Depart
ment Of Health and assistance Of the
sanitary squad, also to Gov. Hatfeld's
prompt action In detailing companies
from the State militia whose assist
ance was invaluable, and gives credit
for the successful handling Of the sit.
uation to the cooperation OF all the
forces that had been assembled.
One OF the members OF the sanitary
corps speaking OF the flood Of August
9th, which was the worst West vir-
ginia has ever known, and in which
twenty-five miles Of C. and o. railway
were practically obliterated, makes an
interesting report which has been
widely commented on here. In It he
said: "Dr. S. L. rJepson. State Com.
missioner OF Health. sent to the scene
OF the disaster an assistant OF the d.
vision OF sanitary engineering. and
this young man was ut work at $50
the morning following the flood. There
were thousands of homeless people
without sanitary knowledge or facil.
tiles and tho bodies Of those who were
lost in the flood were to be seen in
considerable number. 1t was a prob.
lem demanding .ue cooperation Of all
available resources and these were at
once cO.ordinated and set to work.
Mr.. Tisdale, the young man who had
viewed the situation. reported at once
10 his superior. Mayo Tolman, direct.
or OF the Division OF Sanitary engi.
neering. and il was decided to add
vaccination against typhoid to the 9th.
er means at the command of the au.
thorities. Five thousand vaccines
were at once ordered from the U. s..
Public Health Service.
The domestic supply Of the country
was largely open wells and the like.
lihood OF pollution of their waters was
iminent and probable, since the land
had been overflowed by the polluted
creek. All the chloride of lime In
Charleston was therefore comandeer.
ed and further supply ordered to fol.
low as soon as the railway could be
rebuilt. The State Health Depart.
ment sent its three engineers who
camped out ut Eskdale about ten miles
up the creek.
Governor Hatfield detailed eight
companies and the hospital CORDS of
the End West Virginia Infantry to re.
store order. carry food and enforce
sanitary measures. and aid the State
Health Department and local medical
men.
Through such country It is nee.
essary to tote" all supplies, for in
the debris covered district animals
could not make ...eir way, and the sol.
diers were particularly helpful in this.
There were five or six thousand
months to feed. The sanitary men
carried vaccines and lime and disin.
fectcd the wells as they proceeded. A
campaign Of publicity and education
was instituted at once. The doctrine
OF typhoid was preached everywhere.
AT some points placards were posted
and at others boys were employed as
sandwich men and in this way notice
was given of the places where free
innoculation was to be given.
There was an enormous amount of
labor necessary. Many OF the wells
had been filled with debris and these
were cleared at necessary points and