Dr. Muelchi remained at the hospital until June 1, 1895, a total of 40 days; his pay was $15 per day. Disinfection was carried out, in all cases, to the strict letter of the law and the fact that the contagion did not spread throughout the town gives proof of the thoroughness of those in charge.

Second Smallpox Scare

On November 23, 1901, smallpox again reared its ugly head when the Tell City News reported that a number of cases of the disease, amounting to near epidemic proportions, had broken out in Spencer county, particularly at Lincoln City. Two weeks later on Dec. 7, a rumor started that there was a case in Tell City. Mayor Theodore Kiefer in a public statement in the News assured the populace that the report was false. The scare and rumors continued and the Dec. 14 issue of the News carried an item stating the views of Cannelton given by their Mayor, Mr. Clemens. Cannelton agreed to place no quarantine against Tell City if guards would be placed around every house where a case was suspect. In compliance with this request a total of 10 houses were guarded: all cases if they were smallpox (and the State Board of Health never positively identified them as smallpox, but termed them infectious diseases) were very light. At the houses under guard, small wooden shelters were built for protection of the guards against the cold December weather. There were no fatalities in this epidemic.