was appointed to serve on the Executive Council as a cabinet minister serving Lieutenant Governor Morris. His portfolio gave him the title of Territorial Immigration Agent. This office was needed to put measures and people in place to control access by settlers in the territory to help quarantine the smallpox epidemic. The other members of the council were all chosen for their medical knowledge rather than a political background. The Council met at Early Government House in Fort Garry, which was also the home of Alexander Morris. The only clerk and secretary appointed to serve the council was F.G. Becher. The Council chose William Osborne Smith to chair the proceedings of the Council as well as the Board of Health. Emergency quarantine Fearing the disease would spread to Manitoba and the North West Territories, Morris advised the Department of the Interior that a territorial government needed to be set up to deal with the crisis. Morris appointed Dr Lynch to care for the Saulteaux smallpox epidemic. Sigtryggur Jonasson visited John Taylor to seek help, returning to New Iceland on November 8, 1877. Drs David Young, James S. Lynch, and A. Baldwin arrived at New Iceland and placed the area under quarantine as of November 27, 1876. A hospital was established in Gimli, Keewatin and a quarantine station at Netley Creek. The Grassy Narrows House, a Hudson's Bay "outpost" also became an emergency hospital during the epidemic. The nearby Sandy Bar Band first nation community at Riverton was reached by Lynch and Young, and had been abandoned. The buildings were burned to contain the smallpox epidemic. Following the trail, they found the remaining 17 residents of the Sandy Bar band of about 60 people. The Sandy Bar Band fled to the east shore of Lake Winnipeg. This spread the epidemic and infected any bands living there. Ramsay guided the doctor to the various bands. At Sandy River 200 dead bodies were found. The Hudson's Bay Company warehouse, houses and teepees were all burned. After the throne speech was read on November 30, 1876, the council of Keewatin got to work quickly and passed its first piece of legislation. The Act was entitled An Act respecting Small Pox, and it served as the centrepiece of the council. The Act defined penalties and provisions to enforce Morris' proclamation outlawing intercourse by people outside the infected zone who did not have permission from the