Evening star., 1924-05-21
SMALLPOX IS FOUND
! AT LOCAL HOSPITAL
Ten Patients and Dozen Nurses
I Quarantined in Wing Of
Providence.
STRINGENT STEPS TAKEN
Little Fear Felt Any Contagion
., Will Result.

Ten patients and a dozen nurses
AT Providence Hospital are under
smallpox quarantine today, following
discovery yesterday that a woman
ratieat, just brought to the hos
pltal, was suffering from the disease.
The entire east wing of the third
floor has been isolated.
Nurses who unwittingly walked
into the affected area last night for
duty found that they couldn't come
out of it again until the ban is lifted
by the health department. AS re-
suit patients there have double
supply of nurses.
The most stringent precautions
have been taken against possible con-
tagion, although both hospital au-
thorities and health department ex-
perts were in agreement in the belief
that no serious consequences could
ensue.
Case Not Serious.
The afflicted patient. as soon as
the complication in her condition was
diagnosed as smallpox, was removed
to the contagious disease annex at
Garfield Hospital. Fumigation, ster-
the wing followed. DR.. j. r. Sprague
of the health department told officials
of the hospital that he did not regard
the case as a serious one.
The situation is not viewed as
grave.
1t has been definitely established
the patient was afflicted before she
was taken to the hospital and it was
while under observation there that
1t was dia&nozed. This places the
situation in entirely different cat
egory than had the case absolutely
source. therefore, of the disease is
outside the hospital walls Health
Department authorities today are at
tempting to trace the disease to its
point OF origination.
No Fenr OF Contasfon.
The precautions taken at Provi-
dence are customary, but it is pointed
out that they are merely precautions
physicians and nurses expressed alb
solutely no fear of contagion since
the case was nipped in an incipient
stage.
There are several less serious an
giles to thequarantine. For instance
several of the nurses who slept in
beds generally used for patients las,
night are worried about whether they
will be- out of quarantine in time for
the graduation exercises of the
nurses school tomorrow night.
Vaccination started immediately
after quarantine was put into effect
Period Of Quarantine.
The ordinary quarantine period for a
private residence is sixteen days. In a
hospital health authorities use their re-
spectiVe discretions. It's possible that
the nurses who want to attend the
graduation exercises may get out in
time.
Scarcely any Of the patients in the
isolated sector know that quarantine
Is in effect.
The sign Smallpox" and a little
rope across the sairways leading to
the third floor east at the hospital
have proven sufficient to keep visi-
tors away today. The barriers are as
good as squad of policemen. Last
night. however, one visitor, whose
wife is in the restricted area, made
number of strenuous protests when
ne was not allowed to go up to the
bedside.
It's under quarantine. he was
told.
Don't care if it is" said he. I'm
going up to my wife,
He had gotten up a few steps when
he was greeted by a second sentry.
IF you go up you can't get back
out" he was warned.
And after a protracted argument
he resigned himself to the situation.