Smallpox Outbreak at King and Seventh
A new case of smallpox is discovered in a house at King and South Seventh streets, leading to the immediate quarantine of the inhabitants.
The health officer was called to a residence at the corner of King and South Seventh streets early this morning to find a man named O'Conner suffering from smallpox. He had been ill for several days, but the rash only developed recently. There were two other persons residing in the house, both of whom were to be removed to the suspect house this morning for quarantine.
“There were two other persons in the house and they will be removed to the suspect house this morning.”
In 1892, infectious disease control was handled by local health officers forcibly removing citizens to 'suspect houses.' This highlights the extreme, often traumatic, measures taken by early Seattle to combat epidemics in densely populated neighborhoods.
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