The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-02-29
TYPHUS Fever In Fruit
Inspector Fuller Makes
a Startling Dis
CoVery.
IMMIGRANT MATTRESSES FOR COVERS.
No Effort Made to Disinfect Them
Danger Threatens Every
Household.
IMMIGRANT MATTRESSES FOR COVERS,

The spread of typhus and other con-
tagious diseases in New York city has
aroused the health authorities of that city
to activity. Perhaps the Arst man to dis
cover one of the greatest causes for the
spread of such diseases was Mr.. BaYard
Fuller. the efficient Fruit Inspector of the
New York Board of Health.
For the past week Mr.. Fuller has work
ed night and day on clues he obtained as
to the ORIGIN and spread Of the disease.
Singularly enough MIR. Fuller finds that
New Jersey is directly responsible for its
share OF the trouble.
In Jersey City alone he has discovered
that at least half dozen men are en-
gagged in the business of selling barrel
covers for fruits and vegetables which
are shipped to New York and other large
cities.
IMMIGRANTS MATTRESS Es.
The covers sold by the Jersey City men
are made from burlaps used as covers for
the mattresses OF the steerage passengers
on the steamship landing in New York
and this city. These mattresses are pur-
chased from the steamship companies for
a mere gong, iuasmuch as they are so
filthy when once used in the steerage
use as bedding. The burlap is cut into
squares and round pieces and sold to
fruit and vegetable dealers. In this
manner the burlaps covers. filthy and
reeking with disease, are placed on bar
rels Of fruit and vegetables scattered
broadcast throughout the city.
Mr.. Fuller finds that many cases of
disease owe their origin to this custom,
and he is now carrying on warfare
against all the dealers in burlaps in New
York city. He has succeeded in
closing up several dealers in this
disgusting material.
Mr.. Fuller is now endeavoring to pre-
vent the steamship companies from sell
ing the material to dealers who have been
SO interruptions as to sell the stuff with
out having made the slighte st attempt TO
cleanse or disinfect 1t.
MEN IN THE BUSINESS.
1t Is MIR. Fuller's intention to put stop
to the trade In such filthy material by
compelling the steamship companies to
either burn 1t or throw it into the sea.
James Haniey of No. $40 Greenwich
street, New York. has been driven out of
the business by Mr.. Fuller, and now he is
after one G. A. Martin of No. s34 Jersey
avenue, this city, and man named
Bishop both of whom are alleged to be in
the disease=fostering business on the low,
swampy land between Jersey City and
Hoboken.
The material was 80 impreGnated with
disease that it seems it was only the hand
OF Providence that prevented an epidemic
of the worst sort. sF@@ ~'+i
Martin and Bishop deal principally in
the disease infected straw upon which
the immigrants sleep ON their trip across
the Atlantic. This straw they sell
for the purpose of packing crockery, eggs
and stable bedding. Whetherth eggs are
improved by lying for few weeks in this
diseased bedding is hardly matter for
speculation.
Mr.. Fuller's intention is to go before
the State Board of Health of this State
and ask the cooperation of that body with
the New York Board in suppressing the
disease spreading business. His efforts
will be appreciated by the public and it is
hoped that the local health authorities
will assist Mr.. Fuller in his work for the
preservation of health