Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 June 1894 — SMALL-POX IN CHICAGO. [ARTICLE]

SMALL-POX IN CHICAGO.

Terrible Condition of Heportod by Agents from Neighboring States. A startling state of affair has been brought to the notice of the Mayor and health officials of Chicago in relation to the spread of small-; ox. Special agents from Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and. Illinois were sent t> Chicago not long ago to make secret inquiry into the matter, and the ropors they made to Mayor Hopkins of tbe manner in which the hoalth authorities of the oily were endeavoring to check the epidemlo seems scarcely credible. The report reoommended a quarantine against the city and so stirred up the authorities that a force of 400 vaccinators was at once adde 1 to the health department, the forte of regular physicians was doubled and a detail of police draited and held in . readiness If it should be needed. Then within two days a descent was mode upon the inflicted region and a house to house canvass vfas made. Every one who had not a well-defined scar of recent production was obliged to bo vaccinated again. There was some strong resistance, particularly in the Polish district, where the police had to be called In, but the work was thoroughly and impartially done. In one district, comprising four square miles 6f territory and inhabited mostly by poor foreigners, the special agents found everything ripe for tho spread of the disease. It was sh this tection that the scourge showed itself first. The filth and squalor of the locality was Indescribable. The men reported that only two physicians wore at work, and that but one oase of smallpox In six was reported to ths health officers. About one ease in tea was placarded to warn pibple away, ami in one out of ten instance* was there fumigation and quarantine. Children in homes where there was smallpox were found in a large number of Instances playing on the streets with other children. Instances were found of Qhildren who had about recovered from small-pox, but who still had scabs on their faces, mingling freely with well children. Grown people living In infected homes came and went about as they pleased. Vaccination had been attempted to some extent, but the facilities were entirely unequal to the demand. The inhabitants of the district were found to be bitterly opposed to whatever work the Health Department attempted, and were evading at every opportunity.