The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-01-11

NEW YORK STATE BOARD OF HEALTH IRA
CING THE DISEASE TO IT'S SOURCE WHERE /
HAS SPREAD wIDELY-INSTANCEs OF GROS
NEGLECT OF SIMPLE PRECAUTIONS.
ALBANY, January SIN addition to th
information which the State Il lard Of Health
has accumulated in relation TO small-pO
showing the importance OF vaccination ant
of the dissemination OF general information
among the masses about the nature Of tn,
disease. a vast amount OF matter, statistica
and otherwise. has been gathered concerning
the ravage, OF diphthcria. The part OF th,
report relating 10 diphlheria will occupy
about eighty printed pages, and consists o.
notes OF MANY eases Occurriug in high anG
isolated places. where nlluIe appeared t(
favor cOndItl0rs CT perfect health, bu
where the Neglect and filthy habits O
human beings have allowed dipbtbera 10 be-
come seated and TO spread abroad through
other hitherto uninfected neigbborhOods
The Beard has invited reports OF fact.
rat her than The advancement Of conclusions
but it is believed that comparison Of tho
phases Of the disease VIII prove OF great
benefit in the study OF disease not yet
fully conn rebended. aud ieated with an
unhappy degree OF uncertainty rs TO results
! by even the most experienced physicians.
| Every thing points to the necessity OF isoIa-
aiOn and prniracied quarantine OF con.
valcSceniS. While the Board Of Health has
done good work in New York city in dts
Semlnaiing iDformatlon as to the character
Of diphtbera, it has become plain that pro-
found degree Of ignorance about II exists
in the rural districts.
The attention OF DR.. Elisha Harris, the
secretary Of the State Board OF Health, was
directed last summer 10 a centre OF the dis
ease il JOhnstOwn. Fulton county. and by
great diligence the sbantv OF family was
found 10 be the stariing-pOint from which
it bad gone abroad uuti il had found vic.
Tins in every part OF the village, and after
ward found its way far up toward the north
woods. In the sbdnty referred 10 two chill
dren bad been stricken with dipbtberia,
and dird. A family from distance made
a visit 10 the house, and the children who
were HmOng the visitors slept in the very
bed in which the children had died a short
time before. TbeV went home, and soon
after had an attack of diphfheria. An in
flnt who sickened and died IN the neighbOr-
hood was cIrriPd in it, mothers arms forty
miles east across the country, two Otheg
children riding in the same conveyance.
They carried the disease with them, and it
crept along south again until it reached
Worthwhile. The fist fatal ca.e here was
that OF an admired child. and in gross ignO-
rance Of the fearful danger to which the
neIgbborhood was exposed, q public fune-
raj was held in IA chUrch; the corpse was
carried IN by child.bearers-cOmpa panions OF
the dead one: the church was crowded.
principally with children; sermon was
preached, and the body was followed to
the grave by a long concOurse Of people,
young and old. The result WAS not one
rbat should have surprised ANYBODY. The
funera! infected the whole village, and in a
week there were forty.s,X cases uf dIObthe-
ria ~ the place. The Board of Health was
alai med at tins and other instances Of care
le>SnesS, and while Dr. Harris was I'm the
neighbOrhood investigating the matter he
sat down one day and wrote a circular,
which has been distributed far and wide,
giving ferseIy all The particulars as to the
infec' ious nature of the disease, pointing
out the necessity for isolation Of patients.
cleansing and d,infecton Of rooms and
clothing, and empbatica!ly directing private
funerals.
Cases OF dipbtherla occurring in high and
usually salubrouS places have received at
the Appearance Of dIpbtneria on one OF the
highest hills in Otscgo county. Here a
schOol-bouse, new AID well built, seemed
TO have been lbe point OF origin OF large
number of eases. No other reason could
be assigned for its spread except an out
house on The grounds, in which, it is be.
lieved. til disease had nested and been
commun,caled TO the children who at |
tended the school The neglect OF the !
simplest precsu ions to keep tDlS breed |
ng-spot iUuOcuouS had entailed great !
misery, and again taught a fearful |
lesson. Many eases are brought to |
light TO show that diphtheria and other DIS
cases difficult TO control are developed and |
disseminated through the almost universal
legIec, among the poorer rural population,
VI drainage and sewerage. Stops are thrown
rom windows under the very dwelling,
'e9eiable matter is allowed 10 gather aud
lecompOse IN cellars, wells that are poison
d with the fIering> of cessDOOls long I'M
disturbed scatter disease aud death IN the
nidst OF charming pictures OF rural lowell.
ess, and in most instances might dave BEEN
reyented by lii,le or no expenditure and
be simplest regard for COMMON sanitary
principles.
The State Board is in possession of long
elition, signed by more than 100 promI-
ent citizens OF New York, asking that an
lvestigatiOn Us 10 the ciuse and cure OF ef-
uyium nuisances in New York be made (.
V the Board. DR.. Harris ha, referred It TO
De Sanitary COmmitIee, OF which Professor
handler is chairman, and it may result in ,
)methiDg beneficial to he lOng-suffering
ssidents on Murray Hui. whe have so fire. {
uentiy complained OF the insUfierable odors {
hich annoy tnem.