SMALLPOX SCARE 1901

BERG, SLATTERY, SWEENEY, REILLY

Posted By: Cheryl Locher Moonen (email)
Date: 12/18/2016 at 22:56:12

Dubuque Daily Telegraph – March 5, 1901

SMALLPOX SCARE
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PASSENGER ON GREAT WESTERN
THE CAUSE OF MUCH EXCITEMENT
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THOUGHT HE HAD SAMLLPOX
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Health Officers Held Up the Train
To Preserve the Health of the Public
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Mayor Berg, Dr. W. P. Slattery and six policemen held up the east bound Chicago Great Western train this morning at 9 o’clock. It was not for the purpose of robbery that they performed the bold deed but to prevent a supposed smallpox patient from getting off the train at this point.

About 8 o’clock this morning Dr. Slattery received a message from Oneida, Iowa stating that a man showing symptoms of smallpox boarded the train at that point and was heading for Dubuque. Dr. Slattery immediately informed Mayor Berg of the direful tidings and forthwith there was much scurrying among the members of the Board of Health. In less than five minutes a plan of action was decided upon. A squad of policemen headed by Sergeant Reilly and officer Sweeney and accompanied by Mayor Berg and Dr. Slattery proceeded to the depot bent on preserving the public health, no matter what it cost. Having arrived at the depot the officers received their instructions. They were told to prevent people from leaving or jumping off the train and to adopt summary measures if their authority was disputed. In accordance with their instructions the blue coats acted heroically, a number of passengers returning quietly up town when they heard what was doing.

Before the train arrived Mayor Berg showed signs of perturbation. He would walk up and sown the platform inquiring every now and then of Dr. Slattery if holding up the train was legal, and it required all the vehemence of Dr. Slattery’s prophetic soul to assure his honor that the law would smile on their act.

Presently the shrill blast of a whistle was heard and then the locomotive hove in sight. When the train stopped the officers planted themselves at the door of the coach wherein the supposed victim reclined utterly oblivious to the commotion he had innocently caused.

Entering the coach Dr. Slattery advanced toward the patient and addressed him by saying he was supposed to have smallpox. At the mention of the word “smallpox” two women in front of the patient went into the air and almost fainted away, while a traveling man sitting close by, got up and ran bare-headed towards the door – into the expansive bosom of Officer Sweeney. Then followed an altercation, the traveling man demanding his right to pass out and the officer asserting the necessity of remaining in the car.

Meanwhile Dr. Slattery was having a merry ado with his patient who did not take kindly to the insinuation that he had smallpox. At first he positively refused to take off his shirt for an examination but Dr. Slattery was insistent and finally persuaded him that it was absolutely necessary. After removing his shirt Dr. Slattery saw at glance that the man was not a victim of smallpox but was suffering from eczema-a skin disease. The diagnosis was rapidly communicated to the other passengers and the excitement subsided-much to the gratification of the guardians of the peace.