Crawford avalanche., 1892-09-22
Kept 1t a secret.

1t has developed that, despite the
stringent quarantine, the heroic efforts
Of the National and State Governments
and the oft repeated declarations Of the
Board of Health TO the contrary, the
much-dreaded plague has found foot
hold In New York City, and has already
many victims. Not only did it develop
that the cholera had effected landing,
but that the landing was effected at
least two weeks ago, the fact having
been kept from the public. That the
fact was made public was due to an
accident--a slip OF the tongue OF an at
tache Of the health office, while notify
ing his superiors of the discovery OF q
new case.
Daily representatives of the press
have asked the officers of the Board of
Health il the disease had showed any
signs of breaking out in the city, and
even up 10 the morning Of the above re-
ported discovery we're answered in the
negative. When pressed, however, and
presented with evidence that their
secret was secret no longer, they re-
luctantly admitted that they were "in-
vestigating the cases of a number of
persons who had died under circum-
stances which led them to fear that
choleTaic germs might be present"
They could give no definite reply TO the
question, "Is there cholera in New
York;" however, until they had received
the report of the psychologists making
the test examinations.
Names of the Victims.
The names of the victims, so far as
could be learned, are as follows:
CHARLES MoAvoY, plasterers' assist
ant, 80 years old.
MRS. SOPHIA WIGMAN, died at No.
768 Eleventh avenue.
WILLIAM WIGMAN, husband of Sophia
Wigman, died at the same address.
MINNIE LEvINGER, 20 months old,
died at No. All East Forty-sixth street.
CHARLoTTA BECK, 80 years old, died
at No. 1894 Second avenue.
PETER CALLAHAN, an unmarried
stableman, who boarded with his sister
at No. 310 East Forty-seventh street,
died after an illness of four days; 80
years of age.
1t was admitted that there were
number OF suspected cases now under
investigation, but the names or locations
of the victims would not be divulged.
The reason assigned by the officers for
their rcticence was that they had no de-
sire whatever to create a panic until
they were absolutely certain that Chol-
era Asiatica really was the cause Of
death in the cases under investigation.
Whatever doubt may have existed In
the minds of the health officers as to
the presence of cholera in the city was
dispelled when the following reports
from the bacteriologists who had made
examinations of the cases were handed
In.
BacterIologists' Reports.
Il oooI aIAl.
To Charles q. Wilson, President of the Board
of Health.
SIR-We would respectfully report that very
careful biological examinations Of the intes-
tinal contents from the body of Charles Nc
Avoy, who died Sept. 6, have been completed.
autopsy showed anatomical lesion OF sporadic
that the spiritum of Asiatic cholera was pres
ent in the intestines. We, therefore. declare
the case one OF Asiatic cholera Respectfully
submitted, HERMANN BIGGs,
EDWARD X. DUNHAM.
To Charles G. Wilson, President of the Health
Department.:
SIR-Mrs. Sophia Wigman whose body was
referred TO us TO determine the cause of death,
died of Cholera Asiattca, as has been shown by
discharges taken before death. No reliable
conclusions could be drawn from the post
mortem OF biological examination made after
death in this case, or of her husband. Vim. Wig
man, and both bodies have been embalmed
We have no doubt, however, that the cause OF
death in both cases was the same. The bio
logical examination in the case of the child,
Minnie Levlnger, also shows that the cause OF
death was Cholera Asiatica. Respectfully SUBJ
mitted. HERMANN BIG0S
EDWARD X. DUNHAM.
On receipt OF these reports bulletins
we're issued setting fortl. the facts re-
garding the presence of the scourge and
its work, as given above. The physi-
clans say that they have been unable TO
account for the presence of chole ra
germs in the cases mentioned, as none
OF the dead persons had been infected
in any known way. Every precaution
had been taken in each instance to pre-
vent the further spread of the disease.
The clothing and bedding of each pa
tient had been burned, and the houses
In each case placed under strict quaran-
tine. Thus far no secondary cases
have been discovered in the premises
occupied by the victims. In the official
bulletin it was stated that the body Of
4 woman who had died under suspicious
circumstances was being investigated,
and that but one new case had been re-
ported. The bulletin further said that
all suspected cases of cholera reported
were being very carefully watched.
Fears Excited Rather Than AIIsy,d.
The fact that the board admits that
other cases exist and refuses TO publish
their location has an effect contrary to
that which the secrecy is intended to
produce. Instead of allaying, it tends
to excite, the fears of the people, and
keeps them in a condition bordering on
panic.
The health officers are very fearful
that the knowledge of the presence Of
the plague In the city will cause gen.
eral exodus OF those who can afford to
leave the city, and a panic of fear
among those who must, perforce, re-
main. and said that there was very lit
tie danger of an epidemic If people
would only keep cool and think more
of carefully regulating their manner of
living and less of the cholera. Presi-
dent Wilson said that there was no
occasion for excitement In the city, as
the cholera would not become epi-
dem!c. There was a possibility that it
would exist in sporadic form for sixty
days or such matter, until coal
weather sets in and stamps out the dE-
ease altogether.
THERE Will Trobably c0me a time