New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-28
A TUSSLE WITH SMALLPOX.
YEw-YoRK HOSPITAL DOCTORS ANXIOUS.
SIX CASES WITHIN A MONTH IN ONE wARD-ds
INFECTION APPARENTLY OF no AVAIL
PATIENTS GUARANTEED.

| A seemingly Inevitable calamity threatens the
New-Y York Hospital As many people in Ncw-l ofK
| know this hospital, one Of the most perfectly
and completely appointed institutions Of its kind
in the world receives no contagious disease. leO
infection, in its most loathsome form, has found
its way into the hospital walls, and up to now
has refused to be driven out report made
yesterday by DR.. Roberts, Chief Inspector of the
bureau of Contagious Diseases, shows that within
little over a month, less than six cases OF
smallpox have broken out among the patients
confined in Ward G.. Two of these have proved
fatal, and the hospital physc ans are daily eX-
pecting fresh outbreaks
The mischief all began with the admission Of
Pastcn Dees' negro. Deese, who had lived in
the Adirondack Mountains, came TO the hospital on
June 49, suffering from sickness the nature OF
which the physicians could not at first define.
Finally the case was diagnosed as one of malta
rial fever. and Dccsc was put in Ward q, where
fifteen other patients were confined. Ten days
later, on June %, DecSc's symptoms became a
little palmer. Then il was known that he had
smallpox in its most virulent form. With all
possible haste he removed to the Riverside
Hospital, and thence to North Brother Island.
Every nook and corner in the ward, every bed.
was thoroughly disinfccted, and the ward was
placed in strict quarantine. But the mischief had
already been done.
The ten days limit again reached, and on
the Fourth of July Michael McGuire. another
patient, who had occupied bed near TO that
of Decse, was seized with the disease. Again
the ward was fumigated, but all possible de-
fences could not save Charles Mitchell, who, on
July :, showed the characteristic rash. and was
promptly taken away Five days later. and
paul six
was stricken down. Three days passed, and then
on July Is James Plaut, who had passed his
scvcnty-ffth year, was taken away 10 North
Brother Island. His perhaps the most viru-
lent Of all the cases and few DAYS after his ad-
mission TO the pcsthouse he died
The physicians attached 70 the ward bad now
a short breathing space. The ward had been
thoroughly dsinlcctcd, over and over again
The ten DAYS limit reached again. and this
time passed. The hospital authorities began to
believe that the disease had been finally driven
out. when on Tuesday night Isaac ]. Walker the
sixth patient, displayed the pronounced, not N
lie mistaken symptoms Of the disease. Late in
the night he was taken 10 the Riverside Hospital.
All these haplcss creatures were inmates OF
the ward when Dcese taken there. since the
outbreak Of the disease, no fresh patients have
been admitted into the ward, and the ten remain
ing out Of the original fifteen have been Kept
there in strict quarantine. Nov the hospital
physicians are anAiousy awaiting the next de-
veopment
Superintendent Ludam said yesterday that
Ward G. was under the most risid quarantine
Everything in the ward, everything that has
been taken into or carried out OF 1t, every part
of the clothing every one Of the patients, had
been completely disinfccted, and the authorities
had great hopes that they had finally and eIectu-
ally stamped out the disease. The patients in
Ward q would not bc allowed 10 slip outside
the room until all danger Of Infection had
passed For the next ten days, however, every
one connected with the hospital will be rackcd
with anxiety aud doubt
Paul Garcia, IL was reported late last night,
died at North Brother Island
Those in charge of the hospital last night re
fused 70 give the name Of the doctor who made
so sad n mistake in diagnosing the complaint OF
the first victim brought 70 the institution suffer
ing with the malady,