Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Title |
1884 petition to Washington City Council following smallpox epidemic |
Object Name |
Petition |
Catalog Number |
2021.FIC.0350 |
People |
Ellis, William Parmenas |
Date |
1884 |
Scope & Content |
March 21, 1884 petition submitted to the Common Council of Washington, Indiana signed by 38 citizens requesting "to have something done with those vacated houses which were visited by the Smallpox." The citizens claimed the houses still contained "beds, bedclothing and many things which were used by the persons while having the disease." " . . . fearing another outbreak . . . we beg that a change be made immediately." The Council referred the petition to the Board of Health with "power to act." Smallpox was an highly infectious virus with a mortality rate of 30%. Smallpox is estimated to have killed up to 300 million people worldwide in the 20th century. With the development and distribution of an effective vaccine, the last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977. The World Health Organization certified the global eradication of the disease in 1980. (See https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallpox). |
Collection |
1883-1884 Smallpox Epidemic Collection |
Search Terms |
Washington Common Council |