The New York herald., 1870-09-18
THE STRANGE FEVER.
ACTIVITY or THE HEALTH AUTHORITIES.
Throe Mysterious Deaths in tho City-Is There
Yellow Fever Here eI-DiSinfectants and Post
Mortem Examinations-Th Unknown Dis
ease on Governors Island-Mortelity
Among the Soldiers Of the Garri-
son-The Disease Not Contagious.

ON thursday evening, at u late hour, Information
reached one OF the HERALD reporters that the ori-
clals OF the Board OF Health were considerably ex-
cised over the appearance In the city OF dis
ease that some suspected TO be yellow fever. Not
wishing TO needlessy alarm the public by publica-
ton, the facts in the case far as could be ascer
tanned at that time, were briefly recorded In the
HERALD OF Friday. They were simply that family
named Kelly consisting or man and wife,
residing IN Essex, near Division street, had
attended the funeral OF man named Har-
rinaton, on Staten Island, and soon after return
ing had died Of a fever. An investigation
made at the time led the health authorities TO the
conclusion that the cause Of death was
pernicous remitrent fever, and it was stated that
there appeared to be no cause for alarm for the
health OF the city.
The publication OF the paragraph attracted the
attention OF physician of the city, and many found
IN the revelations made the solution OF that they
mad treated, ana ones that seemed to baiie them III
making prognosis as to the cause OF death.
Yesterday several cases Of death from what IL sup-
posed TO be this disease were reported ut the Board
Of Health, and additional alarm was the result.
The Sanitary Superintendent DR.. Moreau Morris,
while convinced IN his own mind that there was no
cause for sspecting that the newly discovered dis
ease was yellow fever felt called upon Investigate
1t, and he has done so most thoroughly. That tho
public and the medical profession may clearly un-
dersgand the subject it may be proper to detail mi.
nutely the information that has reached the health
authorities.
1t appears that some ten days ago Mr.. Harring-
ton, referred to above, died on the Staten Island
heights, or some kind OF fever Among those who
attended the funeral was Mr.. Kelly, connected
with one OF the morning journals, his VIE and
woman named Mccormick who resided near the
Kelly family III Essex street. On their return from
the funeral Mrs. Mccormick was taken Ill, and died
three days alter OF fever She was buried without
post mortem examination aS TO the cause OF death.
While this woman was Ill OF the fever Mr.. ana Mrs.
Kelly were taken down and medical assistance was
called. The report that the parties mad been pol
soned reached the authorities and Mr.. Kelly was
sent to Bellevue Hospital, where he died on Monday
as 4a e HS same evening MIS- M Key dled at the
tendent at once ordered the body to Bellevue Hos.
pital, where post mortem examinations were made
by DR.. Shine, OF the Coroner's ofce. and DR.. Jane
way OF Bellevue Hospital. DR.. Morris was so
anxious to discover whether the disease which gave
that he detailed Dr. Thomas Coitman, Inspector Of
streets, VINO had had great experience In yell
low fever cases in the Crescent City, and Dir.
Roberts, 10 attend the post m0rtem These gentle
men found the bodies OF the deceased yellow and
showing all the outward symptoms Of yellow fever,
with the exception Of black vOmit; but an examina-
tion Of the stomachs convinced them that the dis
ease was pernicious remttent fever, not generally
known in this climate, but one that they were satls
10 guard against the possible spread Of the dis
ease, which Dr. Morris feared might possibly result
spached to the house In Essex street several nspec
tors who thoroughly dislnfected the premises Of the
deceased PERSONS and there the action Of the health
authorities, 60 far the city Is concerded, ceased.
But the Sanitary superintendent did not stop
here. Anxious to trace the disease to its
staten Island, brs. COttman &d Roberts were sent
there to make Investigations On Friday last tney
made thorough Inquiries, and from relatives OF the
man Harrington received such contradictory state
ments that they were induced to believed that the
deceased had become infected by some ship which
had evaded the quarantine. They returned to the
city and made their report, which was Dy no means
calculated to allay the excitement In the Board Of
Health.