Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-12-05
SMALLPOX CAUSES
LOWER SUSSEX TO
Be QUARAN1INED
One Hundred Cases in Five Sec
tions Results in Prompt
Action.
BAN EVERGREEN SHIPMENT

With more than one hundred cases OF
smallpox raging in the lower part oil Sussex
county. and in the hopes OF preventing
the future spread of the disease, drastic
action was taken today by Chester ii.
Wells. State Health Commissioner, and
other officials of the State Board of Health
isolating five hundreds in the county and
placing general restrictions on the entire
county in so far as communication with
the outside world IS concerned
Commissioner Wells issued an order
To the Pennsylvania Railroad today, dl-
recting that all shipments Of evergreens
from Broadkiln, Georgetown, Indian River
Dagsboro and Baltimore hundreds be
stopped entirely, and that any Shipment
of Nmas green's from other parts OF the
county should not be received by the raul
road without special permit from the
health authorities. showing that the goods
had not in any way come INTO contact
with the afflicted district.
Beginning thus morning physlcians
from lower Delaware aided by Others
obtained through hurry call Of the State
Board of Health began systematic house
10 house search among the five hundreds
for cases OF the diseases. Wherever they
found such case they required that the
other members of the family he vaccInated
in addition the house where there has
been smallpox, the premises Will he thor
oughly funmgated and # there Is still
case on hand the place will he placarded
Refusal Of the citizens 70 cooperate
with the State authorities 10 stamp ont
the disease viii result IN drastic action.
II was announced today that violations Of
these efforts 70 prevent spread q the
disease might result III q stoppage OF all
communication with the other part ot the
state Mails would not be permitted 70
be delivered in these hundreds II the people
refuse to Cooperate.
Citizens If MilSboro held q meeting
last night and decided 10 station officials
At the entrance to the town and prevent
any OF the "Aloofs" from entering the
place for fear they will bring the contaglon
with them.
The smallpox has been running, for
several weeks in Sussex. according 10 the
investigations of the State health an
thoritiea here have been many cases.
but none have resulted fatally. Many
cases have never received the attention
Of physician. Whole families have been
attacked by the ioathsomc ailmcn'
VACCINATION PREVENTATIVE.
commissioner 0tIAs A4 SA&1HA4tA vi
the value Of vaccination as 4 preventative
told this morning Of four instances proving
the assertions Of physicians on this point.
In one family four had il and 6fth
escaped who had been vaccinated.
IN another family the entire circle
was afflicted with the exception Of boy
who went to school in another State
where ne was compelled 10 be vaccinated.
In another family all had it except q
woman who went TO a Philadelphia hos
pital where she was vaccinated prior 10
her operation.
III another family al were afflicted
with the exception of a son. . soldier
who had been vacrin4tcd when &c entered
the army.
The quarantine Of the S1ssex hundreds
is severe blow 20 the ones y be- are affiici
ed They are chiefly those vho are en-
gagged IN the preparation Of hrSfIHaS
preaths and evergreens for tee 'iIctIde
season II has been proven thai II pre-
paring the holly wrcaths Il q thorn prlcks
one OF the smallpox pustules, there Is q
residue left there that Is liable to infect
the man or woman or child who might
buy the wreath in this city Philadelphia,
New York or wherever the Christmas
greens are sold.
ID QTQfT IndL IUtiF i1llGiaL DE al ~ Ol'A~
ance Of criticism, the State health au-
tho7ties did not set upon the unsupported
diagnosis Of Delaware physicians, although
there was no reason to doubt the dag
nosis OF these medical men that The disease
was smallpox But to protect them from
the criticism OF Others. the health au-
thorities went to Baltimore and obtained
the services Of DR. Jones State diagnos-
tician for Maryland and lso for the city
of Baltimore DR. Jones investigation
confirmed the drst report Of the Delaware
physicians
STATE BOARD ISSUES REGULATIONS
Following thls veriicstion the State
health of cials inaugurated the campaign
10 Try and stamp the disease out DR.
L. : ConwelI eccetary of the @ta,e B3ar1
of Health has issued the following procla-
nation governing the situation
The State Board Of Health has ISSUED
orders that all school children IN the IN
fected districts must be vaccinated within
one week unless they can present phy-
aicians certificates showing that they
have been successfully vaccinated within
five years Tie school teachers will
report to the State Board Of Health the
names Of all pupils who fail TO file the
necessary certificate.
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