The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-31
hMALL-Pox PATIENTs HIDDEN
Dread OF Riverside HospitaI-TtmeIy Truths
Concerning Vaccination.

CONCERNING vaccination
THE SUN OF Tuesday last told the story OF
tho efforts mado by tho grandmother Of little
Herman Persch 10 keep him out OF the hands OF
tho health officers. who desired to take him to
the small pox hospital. and also OF the flight OF
Mrs. Cihak from her homo. at 1893 East Third
street. with her babe, which was sick with small
pox. A reporter for THE Sun found Mrs. Fersch
and her friends in front room at 150 East
Fourth street on Monday afternoon. They had
Just returned from Cypress Hills Cemetery.
whore they had buried the babe.
MY child" said Mrs. Fersch. young and
Intelligent woman. dressed In deep mourning.
"was taken sick week ago Wednesday. On
tho Saturday following tho Doctor said 1t had
tho smallpox. and that he would notify the
Board OF Health. My mother hoard him. md
don't believe he had got to the corner OF the
street before she had tho child dressed and had
on her own things ready to take him away.
tried to get her to stop and tell mo whore she
was going but she would not. He shall never
go to that smallpox hospital on the leland
she said. I'll carry him to-day as far rs my
feet will bear me- and I'll take care OF him.
Herman. the sick boy. was nearly years old.
On Saturday night last at about "a o'clock. there
came a knock at tho door. l opened IT, and
thero stood my mother. with Herman In her
arms. He was awful sick. and she said that
she had como home because he was so sick.
She Just carried him into the room and laid
him down. and then said that she wanted to 20
down in tho yard. She won't down. and we
haven't seen her since"
But why did she fear 10 have tho child go TO
the smallpox hospital ?" inquired tho reporter.
oh. she knew what 1t was. She said she'd
rather have the boy die than go through what
she had seen the patients go through tnere You
see. seven years ago my little brother q baby
only nineteen months old. was taken with the
smallpox. and had TO DO sent to tho Island.
My mother went with him, Of course, and.
though he WAS only such baby they tried to
SoSF w6 R mer Err sh s" vent NE and Sod
private room, for which she paid $40 week.
They were there two weeks before my ltlo
was awful All they had to eat was what we
took them. We carried food over twice
day. The doctor would go around once. a
day and look IT my brother. and say. A
very bad case. Tho day my brother died my
mother went down on her knees to the doctor.
and asked him for Gods sake TO give my
brother something. and he gave him q little
brandy. My mother snid that tho nurses there
the streets hero. and sent to the Island for
drunkenness. They wouldn't even give her n
f W6sks %n eT w Tnd 6c so MY mohsr WON'T %Sn
around through tho hospital. and helped nurse
the poor people there who wore Mt the mercy OF
those drunken nurses. tell You ! wouldn't
want my baby to be sent there. And then wo
heard that he would have to 20 alone. and such
| hospital: don't youthink so? But now the doe
| tor who came from the Health Department to-
day says that they have good nurses at the hos
pital. now that tho Sisters are there. and that
some one could have gone with my boy TO take
care o. him. Maybe 1t would have been better
| 20 have sent him there at first"
" But why did your mother 90 away after
bringing your boy hone p -, .,
unless she was afraid that she'd have II too.
and has gone TO the hospital herself"
The other tenants in l59 were not little exer.
| csed over tho discovery OF smallpox In the
house. The ploce is one Of the better class OF
| tenements. and clean.
" guess the old woman has hid herself be:
| cause she was afraid she'd DO arrested. heard
she'd get three years II they caught her, ior
on than 1 have hy s thing
that hospital, whore It would be sure 70 die
| Why. If my baby should get 1t Td--oh. don't
| and the speaker Rugged large and remarka-
bly, healthy baby convplsively. He shouldn't
90 TO that hospital on the island II / could help
| even II did get three years"
| In the second story Of the rear house ut 1888
East Third street. is door bearing card with
day the room was empty. save OF a little poor
furniture. This was the scene Of tho second
smallpox case. A mAtronly German woman.
with babe in her arms. and three children a
little older following hef stepped to the head OF
baby was took with the smallpox They found
| II out last night. and when the officers came to-
day tho mother had gone. We, don't know
| ! don't know where he Is. You see they arc Boz
| hemians. and we nre Germans. and we don't
| have anything TO do with each other. for we
| don't understand each others language. | sup
| pose she ran away because she was afraid her
| baby would he sent 10 the Island"
the Health officers were almost angry with
| the two women who have been the cause OF con-
! Veyng seeds Of smallpox into unknown locali-
| ties. But what can We dOf' asked DR.. Taylor.
| We are powerless. as far as the law Is con-
| ccrned. We cannot punish these women or pre-
vent others from doing the same thing The
| only thing We can do is 10 track them. II posi-
| bic, and vacrinate and disintect in the places
where they have stopped. Why. the law does
not compel n person even to bc vaccinated, and
| we meet with opposition Just where vaccination
| Is needed most. The most the law does do is TO
compel all students attending the public schools
| 10 hc vaccinuted."
The fear Of being vaccinated by officers OF the
| Board OF Health is not at all uncommon. II
arises from notion that the vaccine mutter used
| by them ~ obtained from all sorts Of patients.
| instead OF being taken. as II really Is, direct
| from young and healthy cows. The Board OF
| Health vaccinate free OF charge. Thousands re-
! Iect the opportunity and pay physicians for vac
| clnallng them with matter obtained direct from
tho Board Of Health.
STRANGE IMPOSTURE IN INDIANA.