Smallpox Secrecy at the Convent of Mercy
A Mother Superior faces trial and a fine for failing to report a case of smallpox within the Snohomish convent.
Elizabeth McCune, mother superior of the Snohomish Convent of Mercy, was tried before Police Justice Smith this afternoon, on the charge of concealing a smallpox case, the case being prosecuted by the city attorney. The defense called for a jury trial. The jury was out fifteen minutes, bringing in a verdict of guilty. The court fined defendant $5 and costs, amounting in all to $60.
“Elizabeth McCune, mother superior of the Snohomish Convent of Mercy, was tried... on the charge of concealing a smallpox case.”
In an era before robust public health infrastructure, the failure to report infectious disease was a serious civic offense. This incident highlights the tension between institutional autonomy and the state's interest in containing contagion.
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