The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-22
DISEASE IN BROOKLYN.

The Typhoid Fever mt the House Of the G God
Shepherd The Authorities to Blame.
Much has been written about the appearance Of
the typhoid fever In the House Of the Good
Shepherd. that most laudable OF charities In
Brooklyn which extends the helping Christian hand
to the 0utcast and fallen and lifts them from the
slum when the door OF the world Is closed against
the unfortunate. In thickly settled communities
alone the real excellence OF this haven be an.
preciated, and yet there are but few persons, CON-
paratvely speaking, In our midst, who realize
the meritOrI0us nature OF the work OF
the selfsacrldcing Sisters Of Our Lady of
Mercy who manage this institution. About
q week ago the typhoid fever made It's appearance
ut the House OF the Good Shepherd In Henry street.
near Atlantic, Brooklyn and several OF the inmates
sickened. The worthy Sisters night anu day
labOred at the bedside Of the afflicted inmates with
unremitting attention and that motherly soicltude
for which the order OF which they are members Is
30 universally known. The fear engendered In the
minds OF those who were In health led many or
them to seek their couch, and they, too became In.
valids, until f0rty.two OF the inmates were num-
bered on tine sick list. The only victim
claimed by death was one of the faith
full Sisters in attendance who died on Mon
day last. The situation becoming alarming,
the surgeon in attendance upon the house, Dr.
Simms. reported the fact to the health authorities
and the latter visited the premises and made ar.
rangements for tine removal Of several OF the pa.
tients to the County Hospital, Flatbusn. Accord.
ingly twenty.one OF the SICK were removed on
Wednesday and yesterday. The remaining patients.
among whom three OF the Sisters are pro-
crossing nicely under the treatment and care ad.
IN mustered. DR.. Slmms states that want OF proper
ventilation was the primary cause OF the appear
ance OF typhoid fever and also that the drainage
system is imperfect. He also states that there were
huf fwap wall Eal
fever, and that the remaining were mild
in form. The Sister Superior ana Sister
Mary Magdaen stated TO representative OF the
HERALD who visited the institution yesterday that
unjust stigma had been cast upon the house by the
local press, who had designated 1t as "a pest
house." 'fever nest" &c. They felt aggreved
because Of the fact that the authorizes had been
repe ateIy applied 10 for relief, for more suitable
house accommodations, but they mad turned deaf
sion to any OBJECT OF charity that had been pre-.
Tor ae Seea and d o where
House Of the Good Shepherd, Without which
the practicai work Of this institution "'v was
illustrated Thus 1t Is that while minimizing per-
sons may raise their voices against the mismanave.
ment Of tns that or the other struggling effort In
the rare cause OF such charity they Will not nep 10
vlding tire proper means. In the present instance
1t remains but TO be said that this noble Institution
eStaDllSneu III syn WlLulu une past lew years.
is Indispensable yet the means ior lis maintenance
are altogether inadequate to the requirements OF
the object IN view. Inc house formerly used
S meet dw sao DEMANDS s%s
It's resources. This TACT Is forclbly
brought before the Christian pubic In the preva-
lence OF a disease over which the management has
no control. the gooa Sisters, cut on as they
from communication with the outer world, can but
labor IN the narrow confines OF the home Tor the
sSo nS esS be sy S%n
with heavenly reward surely; but viii not the
community 20 10 the rescue ana provide more
may md shelterf
Fifteen cases OF cereDrO-splnal meningitis, or
spotted lever have been reported at the Brooklyn
Health ONCE within the past week. three Of which
were within the past twenty-f0ur hours This cir
cumstance has attracted no small degree OF at en-
ton the part the medical faculty, disease
being rare In this vicinity and Of fatal type. DIR.
shepherd City Physician, made post mOrtem
eleven years. who died suddenly tuesday even
ing At 965 Myrtle avenue OF the disease In question.
The Doctor does not believe this lever to be conta
gous-that IS, from contact with The patient, "un-
less the system Is IN condition TO receive it,"
IL is developed bv q peculiar condition Of the svs-
TEN, combined with atmosphercal effect. There
are cases of recovery, but more from natural
than medicinal causes or medical treatment and
such cases are very rare. III II should become
epidemic 1t would be far more fatal than the small
pox (Which holds rs OWN. IL mas been epidemic In
a town In Massachusetts, where IT carried on one
third OF the population IN few months. 1t gener-
ally gains more neadwav In inland towns tnan IN
seapOrts, OWNS TO the great difference IN the
atmosphere. There might be, IN the opinion OF DR..
Shepherd premonltory symptoms OF cerebrospinal
meningitis becoming epidemic In brooklyn, Judging
from the number Of cases thus far reported 10 the
Sanitary Board. II Is generally fatal inside OF forty
eight hours The symptoms are pains al the back
OF the neck, In the upper portion OF the spinal
column, vomiting, der'um. unconsc'ousuess and
death,