Contagious Disease at Calumet and Hecla - Set 2

Dr. Philip D. Bourland
Lake Linden, Michigan
December 21st, 1914.
Subject: The concealment of contagious diseases, in their homes or otherwise, by employees of the Calumet and Hecla Mining Company.

James MacNaughton Esq.,
2nd V.P. and Gen’l M’g’r Calumet and Hecla Mining Company.
Calumet, Michigan.

Dear Sir:-
I submit for your consideration, the following account of the original discovery of small-pox in Hubbell and the subsequent spread of the contagion.

On November fourth I diagnosed small-pox in the case of Anna Beauchene of Hubbell, and sent her to the detention hospital. She was living at the home of her step father Joseph Fournier, an old employee of the C.&H. Mining Co. The Health Officer of Hubbell quarantined and fumigated the house, and I vaccinated the inmates, consisting of Jos. Fournier and his wife and their two children, aged about ten and twelve. The efficiency of the measures taken is indicated by the fact that no further cases developed in that house, although the children had never been vaccinated.

Sometime later, I was told that there was sickness of some sort in the house next to Fourniers; that the sick person was a girl named Demarise Tourville, and that it was quite likely that she had small-pox. Demarise Tourville is a cousin of Anna Beauchene, and was said to have visited her prior to her deportation to the detention hospital. I went to the Tourville home immediately, but could not get in. All doors were locked and apparently no-one at home. I then went next door to Jos. Fourniers, and made careful inquiry about the reported sickness of Demarise Tourville. I was told by Mrs Fournier that she did not think that Demarise Tourville was sick as she had done a washing that morning and had gone out that afternoon. She also said that she did not know of any sickness in the Tourville home. I thereupon dismissed the subject from my mind.

A little later, I read in the paper that Demarise Tourville had married and gone to live in Hancock.

Shortly after this, I was told that this Demarise Tourville certainly had had small-pox: that she had small-pox at the time of her marriage; that her face was liberally sprinkled with small-pox lesions at the very time of her wedding.

Once more I went to the Fourniers and demanded to know the truth. I went to Fourniers because I knew that I would not be able to get any truthful information from the Tourvilles themselves. The Fournier family would neither affirm or deny anything. I was told however, that Demarise Tourville had moved to Hancock to her husband’s home, and that they had heard that she had not been feeling well since her departure from Hubbell. I then notified Dr. Power, Health Officer of Hancock of all the circumstances. A few days later, I read in the paper that Mrs. Edward Waino (nee Tourville), of Hancock had visited her relatives in Hubbell. I therefore once more dismissed the subject from my mind.

On December the eleventh, Dr. Levin notified me, as Health Officer of Lake Linden, that there was a case of small-pox in Lake Linden: that the patient’s name was William Tourville: that he was a brother of Demarise Tourville: that he had attended his sisters wedding a couple of weeks previously: that he had been sick since December fourth: that he had concealed the fact of his illness: that the case had been reported to him by one of the tenants in the same building who had, for some reason, become suspicious of the character of the case. I quarantined the building, and vaccinated all the inmates, sixteen in number, (there are five families living in this building). Willian Tourville himself was promptly deported to the detention hospital. He is married to a daughter of Moses Gadoury, owner of the building in which he lives. Gadoury also lives in the building, and as I suspected social visiting between the Tourville and Gadoury families, I quarantined the entire Gadoury family consisting of two daughters, a son, and the father and mother, fumigated the Tourville apartments, and sent Mrs Tourville and her baby to live with her parents, the Gadourys. As the Gadoury family was rebellious, I hired two watchmen, one for day and one
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for night duty.

On December 17th Dr. Levin found two cases of small-pox in the Tourville home in Hubbell. The patients were Mr. Tourville, father of Demarise Tourville, and his housekeeper, a Miss Bedore. Dr. Levine’s visit to this house was made at the request of Mrs Rowe, wife of the Health Officer of Hubbell, Dr. Rowe being out of town. Some unknown person called Mrs Rowe by telephone and asked her to send a doctor to the house. The two patients were sent to the detention hospital, and the other necessary preventive measures taken.

So much for the manner of spread of the contagion.

I questioned Mrs William Tourville about her sister in law Demarise Tourville (now Mrs Edward Waino). Mrs William T. says that there is no doubt that Demarise Tourville had small-pox: that she did not know it until she went with her husband to the wedding: that she was sorry that she went, and would not have gone had she known it: that the brides face was broken out “something fierce”: etc.etc.. She also admits, as part of her argument that I should shorten the period of quarantine, that when her husband William T. became sick, he was pretty sure he had small-pox, and that he was careful not to allow anyone to visit him.

I also advised Dr. Power of Hancock to make a thorough search of this territory for Mrs Edward Waino. He did so, and reported to me that she and her husband had moved to Gay. We then notified the health authorities of that locality of the situation.

I have gone into all this detail in order to offer you a complete picture of the consequences of hiding contagious disease. Demarise Tourville hid her case of small-pox. She hid it with her father’s consent. He continued his work at the Smelting Works throughout her sickness. Finally, he allowed her to be married and to invite her wedding guests to the house before she had completely recovered. Her brother William became infected at the wedding, and will loose considerable time and money in consequence. He hid his case and exposed his father-in-law’s family. His father-in-law will undergo two weeks quarantine and will loose considerable money in consequence. A number of susceptible individuals, including a baby of seven months, have been exposed to small-pox in the immediate families of those concerned. Her own father, John Tourville, in consequence of not having been vaccinated on exposure to his daughter’s case, became infected and will loose a good deal of time and money. The same is true of the housekeeper. All this on account of the original sin of Demarise Tourville and that of her father in assenting to the same. Things like these or worse, are likely to happen every time contagious diseases are concealed and no restrictions placed on the goings and comings of the sick and those in contact with them.

I take the liberty of suggesting that the Company physicians be authorized to make it known that, in future, should any employee of the Calumet and Hecla Mining Company by detected in the act of concealing the existence of contagious disease in his home, he will be discharged from the Company service.

Very truly yours,
Philip D. Bourland