The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-02-28

the noxious xhalations OF the prisoners on
trial. Il IL said THAT after the famous Or
ford Assize In 1877 over six hundred sick
ened In one night; and the next day the
infection being carried into neighboring
VILLAGE, IL sickoned there q hundred more.
In this epidemic over flvo hundred persons
persisted.
In all cpidemics Of typhus the aggregation
Of patients in hospitals has proved extreme
" hazardousto the doctors. nurses. and at
PENDANTS. During tho prevalence Of tho fever
in this city after It's Introduction by the Irish
immigration Of 1s47. no less than nine OF tho
resident staff OF Bellevue Hospital fell VIC
Tins to 1t. thus corroborating the fact which
has always been observed. not only that the
immediate attendants were particularly
liable to tho contagion. but that 1t was es-
pccially fatal to doctors and priests. Though
tho disease affects mainly persons OF adult
age. 1t ofton numbers Infants and old people
among its victims. Happily. however. for
children and adolescents. 1t is much less
fatal To them than to adults. 1t prevails ut all
seasons. though the winter epidemics have
usually boon moro serious. In consequence
probably. Of tho fact that the conditions
which favor its spreading and Its fatality.
are encouraged by the confinement to ILL
ventilated tenemcnts and the overcrowding
neccssitated by cold weather.
Destitution. the depressing influences OF
poverty. overcrowding. insufficient food.
and foul DIR are the potent predisposing
causes Of typhus. and tho converse Of these
conditions the only secure defence against
its ravages. With tho knowledge OF the
facts hero stated. 1t is surprising that the
sanitary authorities OF this country should
not have forcseen and made special provi-
sion to avert the pertls OF Russian immigra-
ton ut this time.
It Is doubtless a complex problem to de-
terniine how far the merciful projects die
tated by humanity should be embarrassed
by considerations Of self-protection against
the evils which such projects may entail:
but in this instance no sane person would
on the score OF humanity encourage
nm immigration that transfers the pesti-
lcnce which treads upon the heels Of
famine in Russia to this country. It Is
impossible to exaggerate the calamitous
effects. social and economic. OF the in
PRODUCTION and diffusion OF typhus in the
United States. We cannot, as In smallpox.
protect against It's invasion by vaccination.
nor. as In cholera and typhoid fever. close
tho avenues Of Its communication. Like
tho ppisons OF yellow fever and scarlet
fever. that 81 typhus turks in tho clothing.
clings to tho walls and furniture OF the
apartments OF the sick. and is distributed
in thousand insidious ways. It is this
extreme and subtle CONSCIOUSNESS Of
typhus which renders its introduction
through stream OF immigration which
speedily distributes itself throughout
tho country such II grave calamity. For
moro than ten years after the introduction
OF typhus in 1s47 it added largely to the
death rate In this city. and for several years
afterward sporadic cases occurred. Since
then there has been no considerable impor-
tation Of typhus. The Quarantine regula-
tions requiring clean bills Of health from the
ports OF Great Britain for ships bring
ing emigrants. are probably generally
obeyed: but 1t is doubtful II any
such requirement can be enforced up
on ships bringing Russian emigrants
from ports on tho Black Sea. Under these
circumstances 1t would seem imperative in
justice to our own people to put some check
at the present time upon the benevolent
scheme OF Baron HIEscH for tho relief Of
the Russian Jews. Whether this requires
any special legislation or whether tho
necessary protection con be afforded by tho
rigid enforcement Of existing Quarantine
regulations. are questions for serious con-
sideration.