Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-07
DANGER OF DISEASE.
One Medical Mans Review of
the Situation. :.
A REACTION WILL COME.
and Body-No MaIarial Epidemic IL TO
be Feared nt Johnstown-The Chief
Anxiety is as to the People Down the
River.

PHILADELPHIA, June GA special dispatch
| to the Medical Net0s of this city, from staff
correspondent at Johnstown, to-day, says: Not
withstanding the fact that many of the report
ers Of daily papers have sent messages from
here indicating that diseases, the result
of exposure, are exceedingly common. the fact
| is that in the three largest hospitals very few
cases OF any kind exist, and In over 80 per cent
Of these, the individuals are suffering from in
| iuries incurred during and after the flood.
The cases Of pneumonia are very few and the
report that measles is to large extent epi-
demic is claimed to be false. Too much care
cannot be exercised in the selection and dis
pensing of much of the secondhand clothing
which is sent forward in the relief trains by
charitable persons.
From some of the clothing which we saw dis
tributed we feel sure that lack of such care
may redily result in the production of a large
amount OF contagious disease: The danger OF
malar1al poisoning is, we believe, not present,
simply because the conditions favorable to- the
production Of such miasmiah absent. The
water, sweeping through the valley with enor.
nous force, has carried OF In the majority OF
cases the soft mud of the river banks to dis
tant and low-lying bottom lands and has
covered the entire site of Johnstown with
layer of
Pure Sand and Gravel.
As consequence of this all cesspools have
not only been thoroughly washed out but after
ward filed with sand. Every particle Of dirtand
city filth has been washed away, and it would
be hard to find, hygenically speaking. more
cleanly spot than the main portions of what was
once Johnstown. The danger will be the ac-
cumulation of new filth, owing to the large
number of strangers living in tents and the
outdoor life of the survivors.
There is absolutely no use in sending more
physicians here save that by their training they
may assist in the carrying out of measures be-
longing Ion to the realm OF preventive medicine.
resident of Johnstown is one of lhe gravest
character and the reaction (which will set in
when the reality OF the whole affair is fully
comprehended, can scarcely fail to produce
many cases of permanent or temporary in
sanity.
Most of the faces that one meets. both male
and female, are those of the most profound
melancholia associated with an almost abso-
lutte disregard of the future. The nervous
system shows the strain that it has borne by a
trembling Of the hand and of the lip in man as
well as in woman The nervous state is further
evidenced by a peculiar intonation of words,
the persons speaking melancholy, while the
voices Of many rough looking men are changed
into such tremulous notes of SO high pitch as
to make one imagine that a child on the verge
of tears use speaking.
No Tears Are Shed.
Crying is SO rare that your correspondent
saw not . tear on any face in Johnsrown, but
the women that are left are haggard, with
pinched features and heavy dark lines under
their eyes. Indeed the evidence of
systematic disturbance is 50 mark
ed in almost every individual who
was present at the time of the catastrophe
that It is possible with the eye alone to separate
the residents from those outside. Everything
required in the way Of surgical appliances
seems to be on hand, but medicines are scarce,
and will probably be needed more in the next
few days than heretofore.
A fact in favor of the controlling of any maiady
is to be found in the very general exodus of the
township people who crowd the platform OF de-
parting trains. There can be no doubt
that this movement should be encouraged
TO the greatest possible extent, and it
would be well If places away from
Johnstown. at not too great distance, could
be opened for the reception of those who,
while not entirely disabled, are useless at
home. The scarcity of pure spring water.
which is not tainted by dead animal matter.
is pressing evil for consideration but we
doubt If this is as important fact at Johns
town as it is further down the river owing to
the large amount of decomposing flesh in the
water at this latter point. No disinfectant
can reach such cause of disease, save
the action Of the large volume of water which
dilutes all poisonous matter. A Board of
Health should warn the people of the portions
of the country supplied by the Conemaugh of
the danger Of drinking its waters for weekt to
come