New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-11-01
SMALLPOX ON THE SCYTHIA.
A CABIN PASSENGER ATTACKED AT SEA.
THE OTHER PASSENGERS NOT INFORMED-ANGER
AND ALARM AT QUARANTINE

AND ALARM AT QUARANTINE.
Lorenzo Ruiz a saloon passenger on the steamer
scythia, of the Cunard Line, which arrived here
yesterday, was taken from the vessel at Quarantine
suffering from smallpox of an aggravated type.
The Scytha had III cabin, 81 intermediate and
154 steerage passengers on board-a total of 346
persons, besides the crew. who were directly or in
directly exposed to the disease Mr. Ruiz is
Cuban and was on his way home from a European
trip. When he boarded the steamer at Liverpool on
October 20, he appeared to be in excellent health,
and continued so until last Saturday, when an
eruption made its appearance Oh his body and ne
complained of feeling ill., The ships doctor ordered
him on deck, telling him that what he needed was
fresh air. Mr.. Ruiz went up into the snoking-room
where a passenger who had great deal OF
smallpox advised him to 90 below, saying that he
believed that he was coming down with that dis
ease This passenger had the staterOOm next to
that occupied by Mr.. Ruiz, and later in the day he
called on him Finding that Mr.. Ruiz was growing
worse, and that the symptoms of smallpox were still
more marked, he went to the purser and demanded
another stateroom. " / am not afraid of it myself"
said he, " for ! have been among it a great deal,
but might carry the infection home to my family
In my clothes"
The purser rdculed the idea of Mr.. Ruiz having
X.
demand for another staterOom however, that the
doctor and purser finally consented TO pay visit to
Mr. Ruiz This time the doctor concluded that the
case might, after all, be of smallpox, and Mr..
Ruiz was removed to the sick-bsy for contagious
diseases in the forward part of the steamer and his
room was thoroughly fumigated
TIE FACT OF THE DISEASE KEPT SECRET.
The matter was kept secret, and only about three
persons beside the officers of the ship knew OF it,
When the ship reached Quarantine yesterday morn
ing the health officer who boarded her was told OF
the state of affairs. No one who had ever seen
case of the disease could then doubt that Mr.. Ruiz
was suffering from smallpox of a virulent type.
The health officer Immediately went ashore after
DR.. William NJ. Smith, Health Officer of the Port.
DR.. Smith went aboard the Scythia, and there was
consultation as to whether the ship should be
quarantined or allowed to come up to the city. 1t
was finally decided that it would be safe to allow
her to proceed to her dock after being fumlgated.
Mr. Ruiz was removed from the ship to the hospital.
The passengers had been furious at the delay at
Quarantine, but when they learned the truth anger
gave place to fear. The ship having been fumi-
gated all the passengers and the crew, with the ex
ccption of such rs showed evidences sf having re-
Gently been vaccnated, were assembled on deck.
They were Vaccinated, the ship was fumlgated,
and after over four hours delay the Scythia was
permitted TO come mp 10 her pier.
Soon after she reached her pier TRIBUNE re-
porter boarded her The purser refused 70 say any
thing whatever about the case, and the doctor said
he was not there tO give ini0llnatlOn' lhe Other
officials were equally polite and equally communl-
catlye.
WHAT TIE PAssENGENs SAY.
Colonel p. G. Baylor, of the Army, who was one
of the Scythas passengers SAID to the reporter last
night: The fact that there smallpox on board
was kept very quiet, and guess it is just as well
that it was. We had a very rough passage and
nearly all the ladies were sick and frightened II is
well that the terror of smallpox was not added to
the discomforts of the voyage l saw Mr.. Ruiz
every day up to last Saturday. He was around
among the other passengers ana seemed to be In
good enough health. On Saturday it was reported
that he was i'll and did not see him again until
saw him taken from the vessel at Quarantine. All
of naturally felt little anxious when we
learned at Quarantine that we had made the vOy-
age in the same ship with "a man sick with small
pOX. However the health officers considered that
there danger that any one else would be
taken down with It,"
Senator r. L. Gibson, of Louisiana, who was one
of the passengers was seen at the New-l0rY Hotel.
In answer 10 inquiries about the smallpox case
he said Il know only ~ tie about 1t, as the
case attracted scarcely any attention among tine
passengers. In fact, ii was not known by any ex-
cept few of Us that the man sick with that
disease until this morning, when the heath-officer
came on board at Quarantine and ordered an examI-
nation OF each passenger with reference to vaccna-
vessel that the was threatened with the disease
he was promptly taken to the ships hospital and
isolated while his room thoroughly disinfected
There was no excitement to speak of among the
passengers when they were told the facts III the
case. Every one was examined, and all vino had
no marks of vaccination on their arms or legs were
insulated at once. think the surgeon of the yes
sci took every precautiOn to insure the safety OF the
IT,
j. NJ. Schemerhorn, of Syracuse, who was on
board the vessel, gave the same account of the
affair Senator Gibson. J. J. Belden, of Syracuse,
proprietor of the Windsor Hotel, was also on the
Scytha. He said that there was some little excite
ment among the ladies on board when they were
told of the sickness on the vessel but their fears
were soon quieted, and they all submitted willingly
~ the examination.