Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 237, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 October 1915 — Doctors Inquire Into Cases Resembling Smallpox. [ARTICLE]

Doctors Inquire Into Cases Resembling Smallpox.

Six of the seven doctors of Rensselaer met at the office of Dr. Gwin, secretary of the city board of health, Tuesday evening and discussed the situation with respect to the smallpox scare. Dr. Gwin said and the other physicians agreed, that inasmuch aa even the ablest specialists differed very much in their diagnosis of skin diseases it was prudent to view with alarm anything that resembled smallpor and to require an isolation of cases and if necessary a complete quarantine. So far no eruptions have occurred, in the cases mentioned Tuesday the fever stage had passed and all patients were much improved. This was the course taken in previous cases and is generally preliminary to the breaking out. No alarm is felt that the cases will be serious, as with the exception of the John Marlatt case everything has been very mild, but every care is to be taken to prevent a spread. The doctors discussed the advisability of vaccination and decided not to issue a compulsory order but it was the belief of all present that vaccination should be desired by every person not hitherto immunized. Many applied for vaccination Tuesday evening and others have been given the virus today. Dr. J. N. Hurty, state health officer, says it is the only sure way of elimination and even though not needed at this time it protects the user for all future time.