The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-02-18
SCARLET FEVER HERE.
But No Especial Cause
For Alarm Just
Yet.
PREVENTION BETTER THAN CURE.
Cases Recently Reported Show a
Decided Increase Over Last
Year At the Same
Period.

There is some occasion for alarm over
the prevalence of scarlet fever In Hudson
County. In Jersey City the rumor is
common that many cases exist. A talk
with Health Inspector Benjamin. of the
City oard of Health, this morning, did
not result in the belief that there was
real occasion for alarm. But only the
half dozen City Physicians feeli compul-
sorry to report such cases to the City
Health Board, whereas every physician
in the county Immediately reports every
case of contagious disease to the Hudson
County Board of Health and Vital Sta
tistics.
Inspector Benjamin has had but COM
paratively few cases of scarlet fever
reported to him since February. These,
however, the Inspector Immediately in
vestigated. The sanitary condition
of the premises from which each
case was reported were thoroughly
examined. These cases were
mainly reported from the vicinity,
through which run Erie street and
Pavonia avenue.
THE COUNTY RECORDS.
The records of the County Health
Board, however, show different state of
affairs. While several physicians told me
tnis morning that scarlet fever was
no no more prevalent than usual
at this time of the year, the
County Boards records show that while
the month has scarcely more than half
elapsed 80 cases of scarlet fever have
been reported as against so for the entire
month of February, 1891. These so cases
are reported from every section of the
county. 1t is impossible to localize the
contagion. The mortality, however. is
not great. Three cases were reported up
ta noouAto-day. Eight cases were re-
ported Yesterday, five on Tuesday, and
eight on Monday. During the month of
January of this year 1l9 cases were re-
ported, as against 96 in January, 1891.
cases, and in February, 100. there were
slxty-etght cases, One Of the clerks in the
County Health Board office, however,
claims that the average number the year
around is about 100. This estimate must
certainly be over the mark.
THE SEASON FAVORABLE.
This is said to be a favorable season for
ing from the Clerks high estimate,
when the figures mentioned above are
compared it is easy to see that
scarlet fever is at. pres ent
far more than usually prevale MT.
The records of the County Board of
Health show that the number of cases of
diphtheria reported is light in compariso n
with the number of reported cases of
scarlet fever.
THE COUNTY PHYSICIANS VIEWS.
County Physician Converse was asked
il he thought the present miserable con-
dition of the Public School buildings was
responsible for the increase of scarlet
fever contagion. He did not think their
condition had any more to do with it
than the sanitary condition of many
private houses and tenements from
whicn the cases were reported.
Scarlet fever was contagious, he said, and
to ask where the first case sprang from
was as foolish as TO ask where the first
ear of corn came from. He said. however,
tha5 the condition OF the public schoo OILS
had tendency to produce a favora BILE
soil for the propagation of the disease.
Speaking of typhus Inspector Benja-
min, of the City Health Board, said he
received a communication from tine New
York City Health authorities yesterday
congratulating Jersey City upon the fact
that none of the inf ected Russian He
brews, Italians or 9th er Immigrants were
booked for Jersey City.