The sun., 1891-12-03
DIraaHERrA IN TEE runsBuLL HousE.
Mrs. TurHsun Buried Yesterday ana Her
I1aest scn stin nnnseronsly III.


ME- Turnhun Buried Yesterday sna Her
nsest Bon stin Dangerously III.
There may be another death In the Turnbull
family OF s West Sixteenth street. four Of the
members OF which were stricken with diph-
theris week ago Tuesday. Mira Helen N.
Turnbull tho vito OF William Turnbull. q com
mission merchant and well-known member OF
the Union Club. died on Monday and was
buried Tuesday. Three OF her children. who
were stricken at the same time. arc still down
with tho disease. The condition OF Arthur.
tho youngest son. who is about 20 years old.
is critical Alice and Jennie. the two daugh-
ters, arc convalsecent, and IL Is said that they
will recover shortly.
The cases in the Turnbull family have ut
tracted considerable attention. All tho men,
bers Of the family nre we'll known In society.
When It became known on Monday that Mrs.
Turnbull had died Of diphtheria there was
some uneasiness in the neiGhborhood OF tho
Sixteenth street house. None OF the families
in tho block between Fifth and Sixth avenues
have any fear now. for they have been assured
that everything has been done to check tho
contagion and thnt II is almost impossible for
1t to spread.
Besides the family physician. DR.. Charles
Carroll Lee. Dra Dillon, Brown. and Joseph
ODwyer. specialists In dlphtheria caees. are
attending the sick. Nurses from the New
York Hospital. Of which Mr. Turnbull is n
governor. arc caring for the patients. who are
practically auarantined. The two daughters
is in a room on the floor below that. Ali the
rooms are sealed. ind mono of the other mem
bers OF the family has intercourse with the
was learned Yesterday that ono Of the ser;
wants was stricken at the time Mrs. Turnbull
TRs three physieians visited the house aUw several
s ss " whdS tns Il aatss ess
SIt yas the condition Of the the son SON Arthur Va;
How the disease was contracted neither the
physieians nor the members Of the family can
bull had one Of his friends. q sanitary engi-
netr. make thorough inspection OF the house.
anf epfs nc S% %s Snd nad on *
hssd as se@esy whan ts ef
applied to tho pipe Il was found that there
az a. Ptps sa was
ments. but closer examination showed that
tn the earth around tho pipe was perfectly dry;
odors could not have escaped by this means.
and that in all respects the sanitary condition
Q. os was the heath Department said
yesterday that Mrs. Turnbull might have con.
tracted tho diphtherin outside her. house and
communicated 1t to the other members Of tho
family. An expert In diphtherin cases told q
Sun reporter yesterday that tho disease could
not haye M been contTacted in that manner.
theria and communicated It to the Other, mem.
6ers Of the family" he said. all would not
think the condition Of the house is responsible
for the breaking out Of the disease Diphthe-
ria may may he contracted in many Ways. In my
on ta BILE In u room occupied by diphtheria
patient It may DO that one OF those siphons
containing germs Of diphtheria which had
been refllIed was brought into the Turnbuii
would certainly fet diphtheTia: Mill meat; or
TarnbSiis mi ght also have % been charged with
germs. It often happens that In tho families
Of butchers and grocers there are cases Of
dhiphtheEtIss dig ts which have not been rep9Ited to
prevent the communication OF the disease to
that It was In this way the Turnbull family was
stricken"
Everything possible to check the spread Of
the contagion has been done Every room in
the house has been fumigated. and the mem
bers OF the family who are well are pursuing
course OF treatment prescribed by the three
DhySiciaDS.