Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-11-23
DIPHTHERIA AT NEWPORT

DlRHIHERlAA AL N II w EOhI.
The Eapress finds opportunity to
use old and characteristic epithets
in calling us s'mean, vicious, ungen-
tlemanly," etc., and intimates that
there has been wicked" animus' in the |
attempt that has been made to give
the facts IN regard to the diphtheria
in Newport. We have only reported |
the facts as they have come to us as
matters of local news. At different |
times and by different persons we
have been informed that the Eepress
was Withholding the truth in regard
to the matter; if not we have been
misinformed. We suppose it would
be as unjust to Newport, in bust
ness point of view, to exaggerate in
regard to her misfortune, as it would
be to surrounding communities to
withhold the truth, that they might be
more or less exposed to the conta-
gion. Whatever may nave been the
exact state of affairs, it was the bus
mess of the Eapress to state the facts,
fully, fairly. If it has been felt
| that there was an attempt on the
part of anybody to conceal the truth,
false and exaggerated reports were
all the more likely to get in circula-
ton. We cannot understand why
our correspondent should desire to
report anything but the truth, nor do
we think he has. There is no reason,
either, why citizens of Newport should
from week to week report different
state of facts from that reported in
the local paper, unless there has been
some ignorance or policy on the part
of the paper not commendable. We
doubt not the people there are now
doing all they can to stay the prog
ress of the disease, and that ere long
it will be suppressed. We sincerely
hope this may be the case.
Inasmuch as the EGpress has not
at any time fully reported the condi-
ton of affairs, and does not seem dis
posed to, though the misfortune is
in its own town and village, we give
the following facts, that the public
may understand why this paper re-
ported that "the diphtheria has rag
ed frightfully among the French fam
lilies of the village during the last
few weeks" The disease appeared
in fatal form the last of June or first
of July and we have these names and
dates of death: July I'd, Geo. w.
Lemay; 18th Onesime Lemiene ::
Dist Alexis Benoit. 22d Alfred n.
Caouette, 20th Eliza Benoit, Sept.
22d p. A. Bienvenue, 9th Teles-
phore Bienvenue, Oct. 9TH Anna
Rouillard, 18th Lizzie Rivard, Is HUI
bert L. Turcotte, goth Mary Ann Tur-
cote, 21st Edward B. Turcotte,
goth Mary Ann Purtell, 2Sth
Emma Rouillard and Geo. Albert
: Lantague, Nov. I'd Anna Labourin,
5 Sd Henry Purtell, 9TH Earnest La.
t bourin, 10th Henry Allard, JOSEPH
Labourin, 14th Lea Labourin. There
, were two other deaths in French
, family from what was called Group
9 but is believed to have been diphthe
q ria /; also four deaths in another the
Gaulong family, one in Mr.. Blunt's
4 family. Belle Bradley died at Mr.
Coles last Tuesday. At this writing
there is case, reported by a physi
clan as hopeless, on Coventry street
where many of the deaths have oc
4 cured, and two or more new cases
+ are reported. There may have beer
other cases, perhaps deaths, of which
: we have not the exact data Fathe
Proulx has done faithful duty among
his people and thinks he has proved
to his satisfaction that those fami
lies only, who have not used thu
spring water have suffered from th,
scourge. A gentleman who has quit,
thoroughly investigated the matter il
of the opinion that a bad sanitary
condition, especially the drainage
has had much to do with the disease
In those sections where the clay sub
stratum came near the surface, max
9 ing the ground wet and preventing
> earth drainage, the disease has rage6
most violently. We understand thu
village is taking measures to pro
vide better water and to put in sew
ers in the places referred to.
In studying the diphtheria matte
here year ago we came to the con
clusion that the disease was brough
here from New York. that it wa
). spread by contagion chiefly, thougl
!, there were few cases that apparent
}. ly originated from unknown causes
I A child was carried from here to Hol
, land and buried, and the disease was
carried into neighborhood there and
\ spread into Morgan, causing many
. deaths. The people of Newport will
!. do we'll to quarantine the disease
as far as possible, and to be very
careful that only those absolutely re
quired about the sick room, or in bury
ing the dead. come in contact will
" the contaoion.