New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-21
PREVALENCE OF SNALL-POX.
,ur nIsrAsp IIKEIY rn INCREASE.

THE DISEASE LIKELY TO INCREASE
rproAurtoSs AGAINST ITS sPRRAD-BRoUGHT IN
FROM PLACES AROUND NEw-YoRK-cAsEs NOW
IN observation-disclosures on SCARLET FEVER AND
pIPHTHERIA-A TALK WITH DR. JAMES.
Smallpox win probably increase somewhat in
The city for tne." said Dr. b. H. James, Assistant
Sanitary superintendent, 70 TRIBUNE reporter the
other day. There 90 much OF the disease around
us thar hardly see how it help spreading some
what 1t is serious matter to have 80 many cases
occurring weekly of smallpox diphtheria and scar
let fever but every pEecaution is being taken. ana
think there need be no fear of general epidemic
Our yaccinating corps is constantly at WORK. ana
whenever cxse OF smallpox is reported every one
In tho neighborhc0d around Is ct once vaceinated'
Thsre Ia not much opposition to vaccination now, al
though there was feeling against it afew years ago.
Occasionally some refuses to be vaceinated, and
IL has happened three or four times that the very
person who refused has taken the disease suhse-
quently and died. Although there is nolaw COM
peliing vaccination. we have q means OF indirect
bompulsion In prevepting children from attending
school until this has been done. People should be
Saceinated once IN i've or seven years. and those
who ere exposed should have it done whenever
many cases of smallpox appear. If good vacct-
nation shows no signs OF taking it Is safe to as
snme that the subject Is safes although no Law can
be laid down. Our men are often sent for from
SCHOOLS factories. hotels, or any place where many
people are gathered together Whenever there 10 any
fear Of smallpox.
There are about thirty cases at present IN the
SMALLPOX Hospital on Blsekweps Island This
will contain fifty when we'll filed, and the new hos
pitai ON Brothers Island, accommodating the same
number, will DO ready in few days having
been built TO be in readiness for marked spread OF
the disease There Ia seldom much resistance to the
- af n llv,ox fAuemenf-
TO the hospital or to the fumigation OF the house
that follows. Two three cases have been con-
found until they were dead or dying. In fashion
able quarters OF the CITY of course vaccination IL
attended TO by family physicians. There would bs
no motive for cOncealiBg case, in private houses
facilities could be secured for isOlatng the patient
IL has been suggested that the straw in streetcars
would prove q vehicle of eontagion but 1t is 30
seldom that anyone sick with small pox gets into
car that ! hardly think the danger very great.
Smallpox Is rather a winter disease. being largely
peculiar to cold weather which preserves vaccine
virus while heat destroys IT.
"The smallpox In this city at present originated
years had not been 80 free from the disease as IL was
for about year up to last fall. But there was
.a around ro as II s tSs oa% Sfsei
part Of the summer commercial
traveller who had started to go West. turned back
az PIttsbnrR for some reason, spent few hours 10
Philadelphia, came here, and in two weeks was sick
with small pox, which he must have caught IN
Philadelphia or on the sleeping-car. little later
n
eruption on her face. We found that she had been
employed in a boardiDg-hou at High Bridge where
were several workmen whom the contractor had
brought from Philadelphia. Two or three OF these
had smallpox IN mild form, and bad gwen II 10
the girl whO although sent to the hospital at once
had already communicated the disease. There have
been some cases brought among the Italian imrnt-
grants on ocean steamships. There was group or
cases in Baxer-st., originating from the wife OF an
organ grinder from Philadelphia, who kept on
working after she was sick, ana went over to the
hospital Blackwelps Island with her child after
the eruption was plainly visible. The mild cases
are the most likely to spread the disease, and no
patient Is secure from injecting Others until
all the scabs are of aud the body IS
thoroughly cleaned. These cases formed the
beginning of the present spread Of the disease
'Diphtheria, OF course, we have always TO q
greater OF less extent, and this winter there seems
to be peculiar tendency 20 threats. 1t rs nat
rally most prevalent among the tenement houses as
the great overerowding increases the danger from
filth and eontaglon. The spread Of scarlet fever Is
also regarded with considerable anxiety. especially
amona children"
In 1878 tbeFe were only seven cases of smallpox
in the city; IN 1879 there were sixty-One. and IN
1880 there were sxty-nine. From september, 1879.
until July 81, 1880, not q single case was reported
Since January /, 1881, there have been thlrtyeght
cases.
Since July, 1880, there has been, on the whole, a
marked increase IN the amount of contagious dis
ease in the CITY, especially In the last two months
as is shown in the following table, which gives the
number of cases reported monthly, and for January
IN to yesterday: