The New York herald., 1870-01-19
An IMPENDING SC0URCE.
The Spread Of the Smallrox-How 1t
Tarives-The Hospital Arrangements
Victims Keeling Through the
Streets = Astounding Negli-
gence Somewhere.

gence Somewhere.
The efforts made by the health oicials or the ctv
TO keep the actual acts to the smallpox epiaem,o
from the public, 20 as 70 prevent unpecessaryt
alarm for time was successful, but the loathsome
disease obtained such headway ana assdmed sucn
proportions that the secrets or The Board OF Health
could no longer be kept, and the public, who had
received timely warning, might have prepared tor
the worst ana guarded against tho 0isease, were
luled into inactivity. Tnc Sanitary Supermtendens
In pursuing this course was, Doubtless actuated by
the best OF motives, but 1t does seem that hs has
been i-advsed In keeping the actual condition Of
ayairs within mis- ONCE unul the press exploded II.
The inspectors and me lcll 0 ficsrs are working
indefagaby to prevent the spread Of this frigntful
scourge ana are part ally succ ,ssful; put the dan-
ger Is by no means passel. In some districts the
disease Is slowly creeping ont into other portions Of
the neighborhoods most tnicSy populated. The doc
tors ana their vaccine matter DO not keep the ghost
down. aud In some districts 1t has even reached the
schools. a4a3
There docs not appear to be any cause Of conf
plant with the present energy Of the medical
officers, but certainly oneboly should be held
sponslbe for the Introduction OF the disease origin.
ally through quarantine and Its neglect untl the
eleventh hour.
The hearth of1cials give assurances that IT Is now
under thorough aud complete control, but this u
the statement rung In SINCE it assumed
an epidemic form, aud it would be ei6icult to
draw line of demarkntion between the points
where 1t Is and where IL Is not under complete
control.
Tie usual mode OF
DISCLOSING OF SMALLPOX PATIENTS
Is to send them to the smallpox hospital on Black.
wells Island. The moment rne attending physician
reports case to the office Of the Board Inspector
despatched TO the Locality and the commissioner
OF Charities and Correction nOtlled to send "A
ambulance. When the patient u placed IN the GUS
| tody OF the ambulance 0lIcilis the health 0fhcers
! claim their part OF the WORK Is completed. Tbs
| patents are driven TO te fooL OF Twenty Jeightn
street. In the Bellevue Hospital grounds, where taey
are takca IRON the vehclc placed Insoe OF small
woman ana surrounded bS q hlgn fence. There the
injected persons are locked N and are supposed 70 be
kept there untii the boat nom the island and
removes them. This is the work Of the officials VI
tue Commissioners. Of Charities and Correction.
| Complaints have receatly reached the HERALD Of
/ character deemed worthy oil invssii gaLOn. Among
them are the statements that some pnyscians fai!
TO notify the proper authorities vi the prevalence 0i
| the disease in the lanlles OF their patients, and
| that many persons walk body through the streets
anu ride IN street cars to The roons OIL the sanitary
! Department vita the disease traced upon theft
| faces and tor treatment; tnat in some cases,
after the D0afd OF Health has taken action inected
persons have escaped AMI staggered through tha
streets 70 their honies, Wnere tAey nave recovered
Among these complaints was the following re-
| celved yesterday:- - -
To THE EDITOR TIE HEaALp:-
Hone OF your rePorten viii eai u2on MT B. O Wheeler,
Who sek tho smaiipos, he win hear hows
learn how it Is spread arons cy BY their manage
msni He win learn how .Aa pat answ a,owea .tte
through ,as city reekug viva ala disease, bat win notisaru
~" '''-'' Ti.Ug. EVERY WORD OF IT.
! A CASH IN POINT.
| A HERALD reporter a5 proceeded to the place
indicated and had an interview With James Pmker.
ton, father OF the younx man referred TO In the
above nooe. Mr. PiaAettoa stated that his son
the 3lst oI December He caf,ei IN DR.. Van Antwerp
on Monday, VINO pronolncel II s.aailpox and re-
cot inspector. about noon OH TUESDAY sent the boy
TO hospital IN an ambulance. ~ live O'Clock the boy
returned nome, having wa,kel tue foot Of
East Twenty aghta street ~ fathers residence,
No. $40 Washington street. lie reported that on
arriving at the enclosed docs foot OF Twenty eighth
sireeG. there was nobody Ae.p cut OF the am
bulance, aud lie was SO weak taaL he cl. After re.
ulalnng ia the smallpox house III charge OF the old
| woman, until about four O'CLOCK, ana seeing no
chance OF being taken over 20 The hospital,
he walked out aud started for nome. He was SO ex-
hausted That ne fell down several times IN the two
mile walk. DIR. Wescott STAGED 10 our reporter tnat
he turned young Plnkertoa over TO the custody of
tile ambulance driver TO b3 Likea to hospital; LhQr
he returned the same night when tho parents again
consented 10 have hm go to hospital Wescott ain
| ordered the anbulauce, bus II ala not come until
next day when tue boy VAS too Iii to be removed,
and he now lies ~ his Athers residence IN c0nva-
lescent condlt0n Mr.. finkerDon states, that alter
the return OF his son he again called Dr. van Ant
| Wcrp, who refused To attenA To INN lest his other
| paLentS refuse D6 treated referred llul
| 10 the physicians at the Northern DSpensary. On
applying there tne doctor III caarge refused to A.
tend, as DR.. Van Antwerp aai attended the case,
| The consequence is tlat the patient IL recovering
without the aid OF doctor. h &y
WAiie making these Investigations our reporter
| uneartIed
| ANOTHER CASE
OF nearly parallel Character. Some days ago u
| was reported to the Boara OF Health that John L.
Meyers aged II years living with as Iatner st No.
62I Greenwich street, was I'll Win THIS disease. An
| Inspector was promptly despatched and under his
/ n.
lance 10 the hospital In charge oi hue Lommssoners
OF Charities ana Correction. He was deposited within
the enclosure 1905 OF iwcnty ayntn street and es-
| capped and made his way Nome How many hs In
iected on the way across tie city Can never be
the escape. Officers ont in search, Of him
and he was found at nome. He was IN SUCH crltt
pltal and died Y few days aitcr. Low many stmilaI
cases Gavc como under sR0 wleIge Of the Board
DR.. Harris was asked VINO was responsible for
these escapes and ne stated rnat 1t impossible for
person to get out o. the enclosure a. the foot q
employees OF the Commissioners Of Charities lie
also expressed his Indignation tnat the Metropolitan
| p0X 20 walk through the streets.
TUE DISEASE AMONG TIE POLICE
that OF officer Noxon. He oicd at rne Smallpox
Hospital on Wednesday. me TACT was not reported
until Saturday and the remains kept above ground
until sunday or Monday oi CnIs week. In the cases
ABOVE referred 20 IL o0es ooS appear tina! the Board
| OF Health OFFICIALS are batncabie. According 10
PinkcRon's statements Dr. WescoCt performed his
| full duty Ia the prcnises
| DR.. Harris mas issued the following rules to be
observed concerning smallpox III business sIreets-
Broadway Bowery Third, Fourth, Firth, Sixth Eighth and
Tenth avenues and commercial shipping
OF Fourteenth street xhAt reYarted
presence OF case OF snsfros cause o. contagon
IN house or pace aboss enoned ,se ssnrs
officer will report according this rue, aud viii without
delay present the facts to tho Sanitary superintendent who,
70 accordance with section new resuaon the
instances for the propi .aa sssci extinction the
ton and surveillance patient infected thngs
for protection OF BLOCK.
sanitary Inspector "a responsible tie u extent OF his a l.
ues smallpox In foc either be Immediately sent
70 hospital completely isoa.ed entire
aminei for uninocua,ed persons All oIher busnex ID
| subordinate " these uu.ieL
| y. HARRIS, Sanitary Superintendent