Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-10-11
DIPHTHERIA.
QUITBAN OUTBREAK OF THB DISEASE IN
Tx FIRST WARD.
A Total Of Over Twenty Cases ard Five Deaths
What an Investigation Of the Locality
Brought Forth.

A REGISTER reporter yesterday made 9
thorough examination of that portion Of
the First ward in which are located the
diphtheris cases referred to in yesterday
mornings issue, and also talked with the
school authorities Of the district and con-
siderable number Of citizens. The results
Of the investigation were the location Of
twenty-one cases of diphtheris, with five
deaths so far, and the establishing Of the
fact that q considerable degree of alarm
exists among parents, while the school
authorities are fearful that the school
must be closed, as pre-
cautionsry measure, tending to prevent
the further spread Of the disease. 1t was
also demonstrated that the sanitary condi.
tions Of that portion of the ward were, In
many instances, favorable to the continu
anoe and development of diphtheris and
kindred diseases.
As has been heretofore stated, the dis
ease first made its appearance, some two
months $50, at the intersection Of Third
and Coal streets, and thence it spread
north and south along Coal street, and
also made its appearance on Main street,
in localities rather widely separated. In
the rear of Nos 2l2 and pa Coal street,
~here the disease fist appeared, privy
vaults are located 10 the steep yard, at an
elevation Of probably 90 feet above the leve
of the first floor Of the houses. The vault:
are full, and the contents has seepto
through supporting stone wall onto the
brick pavement Immediately surrounding
the house. Across the street, at No. 2l5
.shere there were three cases Of diphtheris,
the conditions were the same, except that
the yault in the yard was lower than the
house No. 215, but about twelve or fifteen
feet higher than the kitchen Of the adJoln'
ing house, fronting on Main street. This
vault was full, and was running through
wall onto q pavement. The odor was
yery bad. At the house ct the south
west corner of Coal and Third streets
the vault was in the same unsatisfactory
condition, and its location was higher thar
the house. Most of the vaults in the
peighborhood were In the same shape, and
often earth had been packed around them
in the epdeayor to keep the contents from
escaping. The surface drainage was also
very bad, in mauy instances.
Down on Main street, in the rear oil NOS
10 and 7l2, where the disease has appear
I'd within q few days, the situation 81
Third and Coal streets was duplicated, a.
far as vaults and drainage is concered. 10
the rear of No. 712 there is a great
POOL of stsguant dish-water and othsI
foul stuff, lying partly under the
house. the accumulated drainage Of
several houses in the neighborhoOd. The
lady Of the houses told the reporter she
had cleaned it out five hundred times, y
but it could not be kept clean There are
about three cases in this immediate vi
cinity.
At the First Ward school Miss Harper,
the principal, said there were go pupils
She had instructed the teachers 20 use the
utmost diligence in excluding pupils where
there was sickness from sore-throat, Oh
diptberia in the family, but among SC
many. il was very difficult TO detect al
cases, One of the children OF Mr. Beu
Annie, was ct school on the 29.h O.
September. and October 9Th she wat
dead. Another girl Of the same itmlly
named Mamie, was at school October "a
and died of dip'heria on the 9th. Another
child named Winters, was at school on the
18th. and is now sick with diphthsris
There is one case of the disease right op'
oosite the school house, on Main street.
Mr.. Harrell, one Of the school commits
siouers of Washington district, was seen
and he acknowledged the sanitary condi
tions in large portion Of the ward alopt
the hill side, were very bad. He is OF The
ooipion the school should be closed, for tnI
present, as a precautionary measure, ano
others coincide with this view. A rum
Der of pupils have been taken from the
school by their parents within the las
few dsys
Health Officer Garrison was asked las'
evening: an.
Doctor, why have you, as Health Oheel
OF the city, allowed these vaults TO over
run and a generally undesirable sanitary
condition to Iesult?"
81 can readily answer that. For month";
I have been pointing out the danger men
acing the city, and have at all timeI
urged upon the Committee on Health anC
the City Council the Importance Of I'M
proving the sanitation Of the city. / have
shown by figures and statements OF fact
that there was vast amount of mig ht Sol
which threatened the public health, anC
have done all in my power to secure tn
active cooperation of the Committee OF
Health. In this I have failed. o.
of the 500 vaults in the city
nut 700 had been cleaned up to Angus
18th, and since that date very few hsv'
oeen added to the number. Dat OF 81
streets in the city, work has been done OF
but 60, and out of 81 alleys, work hs
been done on bat 80. "
SIS it possible to improve the sanitary
condition of the First ward at presently
mo. The facilities for destroying tn
night soil are not adequate, and no NOR
can be bauled to the country. On tina
point, will say am in receipt of a com
munication from the County Health OH
Ger. in which be gays some cases of diseas'
outside the city limits are attributed b.
the attendant physicians to the larg
amount of night soil which has beef
hauled out there by the city"