The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-15
Five Deaths From the Plague in
New York City.
ORIGIN OF THE CASES UNKNOWN.
An Epidemic Expected in the Filthy.
Crowded Tenement Houses.
NO One Who Follows tho Physicians'
Advice Will BE A Afiicted-Cfncinust sti
9uarantines Against New York-Ar-
rival of Another Plague Ship.

NEW YORK, Sept. HNow that Asiatic cholera
mas developed among the dwellers in this city.
each may ask his neighbor: "Well, what of
III This expression implies no overconfi-
dence. 1t lies within each individuals power
20 assure his own personal safety almost beyond
peradventure.' He has but TO drink no water
and milk except such as has been thoroughly
boiled, AMI to eat no food that has not been
thoroughly and freshly cooked; to abstain from
outter and cheese, and may then possess his
SOUL In serenity. for chplera will pass him by.
Ever since the Morayia arrived in port as the
harbinger of the dreaded plague, the state aud
local officials have been straining every nerve
10 prevent its gaining a foothold in this city
anu being spread by various channels to the
country at large, but while they wers all
looking seaward the cholera quietly made its
presence eit in our midst. and five corpses today
marx It's advent. "How did it get imp is the
question on every ones lips The health officers
are puzzled, but the utmost precautions are be-
ing taken to prevent its spread At each OF the
houses where the patients lived two doctors
nave been stationed to remain constantly on
duty, enforcing the most rigid rules OF cleanli-
ness, seeing to disiniection, etc. No family
must move out OF the house without written
permission. The idea is to overwheim and
stamp out the disease in each house as was
done with typhus upon its first appearance
mat this can be done was successfully demon
strated IN the cholera outbreak in Is66. The
doctors on duty in each injected house will re-
main there until danger of further
outbreak has finally passed. The health
officers fully believe this will be before
long. Other cases are expected to develop
from scattered centers OF contagon, but none
in the same buildings. That is the way the
health officers propose to drive cholera from the
city, now that 1t has got in, and il the citizens
Will use reason and not get into foolish and
needless panic. they are sure they will succeed,
though they by no means undervalue the dan
ger. Every possibility, every feature of q chol-
era epidemic has been discounted and pro-
vided against. 1t is hard for the department to
trace the cases SO far reported, because all OF the
victims are dead
The situation is identical with that of 1866,
when the cholera suddenly appeared In three or
four widely separated places in the city, after Ii
had been successfully quarantined out the pre-
vious fall. The first case this year was Charles
McAvoy, IS years old, plasterer by trade, who
lived at S79 Tenth avenue. The only possible
clue may be that he had been working about the
wharves, yet none of the pest ships had come
up to wharf. McAvoy was seized with cramps
Sunday evening and next morning took to his
bed, dying Tuesday evening. Two doctors dag
nosed the case as Asiatic cholera, and the house
was disinfected as measure of precaution.
DR.. Biggs, who made an autopsy. declared, how
ever, that its result was not at all suggestive of
Asiatic cholera, while showing familiar signs OF
cholera morbus. In spite of this statement,
however, some OF the intestinal fluid was taken
to sanitary headquarters, and, cultivated in
gelatine, produced a crop of cholera bacilii,
aud the nature of the disease longer
open to question. Eight days have elapsed since
McAvoy's death. What caused tho long delay
IN ascertaining the exact cause il not stated.
The other victims were William wgman, So
years DID, and wife, 63 years old, OF 72l Eleventh
avenue; Charlotte Beck. Of 1924 Second avenue,
and Minnie Levinger, child year old, of all
East Forty sixth street. There have been other
cases, Of which the board has not yet made an
official report
1t was said at police headquarters this even
ing that the disease had been brought into the
city by butchers taking meat to the Quaraptined
Hamburg steamers, but this could not be sup
ported.
President Wilson said this evening that there
was occasion for excitement in this city
The health department has taken every possible
measure to prevent the spread OF infection.
Sanitary Superintendent Edison said there was
no danger OF cholera becoming epidemic. There
would be sporadic cases, he said, for at least
sixty days, until real cold weather sets in,
which will have the effect of stamping out the
disease. The health officials have sent to Ellis
island for the passenger lists of all vessels thar
have arrived here since August ~ Every effort
will be made to trace passengers as far practi-
cable. Edson said the injection which
caused cholera to break out here must have
come through some quarantine. The source of
infection is being Investigated very carefully.
Mayor Grant had conferences tonight with
President Wilson. OF the health department and
others. They took the view that the best serv-
ice they could render the public was to keep IL
fully informed OF all developments. The mayor
found the department of charities and correc-
ton fully prepared to care for patients. One of
the doctors formerly attached to the board OF
health said tonight that the present indications
point TO an epidemic which will require tho
most stringent measures to prevent it from as
suming large proportions. Tho fact that the
history OF the cases ID so far unknown makes
the danger all the greater, as the points of dis
tribution OF cholera germs may be many. The
authorities can act only on each as IL appears.
while the disease itself In perhaps Sc
cretly spreading and injecting the
crowded tenement districts. The fact
that five cases have occurred within
such short period of time 10 strong proof that
they are not sporadic attacks, but OF true epi-
demc character However, an epidemic would
not result in such large mortality in places of
plague when sanitary science was in crude
state, but should cholera get into the crowded
tenements il would be n difficult matter to
check the rnvages OF the disease. In the face OF
such threatening calamity all political consid-
erations should be set aside and the cooperation
of eminent medical men OF the city b. sought.
There is suspicion that Max Vitkaft, who was
stricken with symptoms cholera Tuesday
ing. was really afflicted with the plague. II
such is the case the injection has doubtless
found a good breeding place in the cheap lodg
in housas m the k0wery Wheuce he had coma