Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-18
ALL ON THE ALERT.
The Health officials on a Determined
Hunt for Typhus Cases.
ACTION OF THE STATE BOARD.
No Change in the Condition Of the One
Patient Discovered.
1T is PECULIARLY A DISEASE OF DIRT

| IL 10 fECULlAkL1 DlSBASL VI UNI
| Angelo Amatero, the italian who is con-
fined to dingy little back room on the
third floor of No. 1135 Penn avenue, suf-
fering with typhus fever, is not yet out OF
danger, and the City Physician and the
Bureau of Health yesterday renewed their
orders that mo one be allowed to see the
sick man, and that all possible pre-
cautions be taken to prevent q spread
of the dreaded disease. The all
ment is considered malignant and
contagious, and is malady deemed practi-
caIly extinct so far as civilized cities are
concerned. The disease once devastated
Europe, and was known as "The Black
Plague" 1t is most prevalent in winter
and early spring. Its attacks are most fire.
quently and most fatally made on the ILL
fed and uncleanly occupants of overcrowded
and illy-ventilated tenements.
The disease is also infectious, and ex-
posure to an atmosphere contaminated by
its poisonous germs will induce an attack
as also will contact with any of the effects
of typhus patient, and even physicians
attending the sick, it is said, may convey
the infection in their clothing. 1t requires,
it is said, from 15 to 20 days for the disease
| to show itself
The Patients Condition Unchanged.
DR.: Meyer, who is attending the sick
italian, said last night that the condition of
his patient was unchanged, and that the dis
ease which was developing was certainly
typhus fever. He also said that the sick
room had been fumigated and that strong
| disinfectants were being used about the
place. He believed that there would be no
spread of the disease from the sick man
since his discovery, but he is fearful that
other cases will result from contact with the
victim before he was confined to bed.
The Bureau of Health yesterday received
| . positive letter from DR.. Benjamin Lee,
Secretary of the State Board of Health, in
which was inclosed list of the Italians
from the infected ship Massilia destined for
Pittsburg and other points in Pennsylva-
mia. The letter also said: 'If any case of
typhus develop, at once quarantine the
house and isolate or remove the patient to
pesthouse."
The names of the Italians who are sup
posed to have come to Pittsburg are given
BY Dr. Lee as follows: Angela Matera,
Mario Carusa, Christina Russo, Petro Di
Rose, Maria Agostinelli Zone child), An
tonic Pizzaro, Lucretia Pizzaro, Giuseppe
Esposito, Antonio Agostinelli, Marie Gal
tiero, Pasquall Lama, Gustav Pausino,
Giovanni Stella. Pasqusll Lucci and Pietro
Tozio.
1t was decided not to remove Amatero to
the pesthouse yesterday. The attending
physician believes he can be best treated
where he is. He says the attack of typhus
is light, but Is positively the much-dreaded
disease.
The Health Oficials Alert.
The Bureau of Health is greatly concerned
over the earnest letter from the State
Board of Health and the list of
the supposed afflicted said to have
come to Pittsburg and neighboring
towns. The Italian quarters in the city
have been thoroughly searched for other
victims of the disease No others have as
vet been found It was reported at police
headquarters yesterday that three Italians
were seen on the upper Southside. One of
them seemed to be sick and was being al
most carried by his companions. They had
for some Italian family which they said
lived in Brownstown. They are unable to
talk English, and in order to gain informa-
tion they showed . paper bearing New
York date, which read: "Please show these
parties the way to Brownstown, Pittsburg."
The paper was unsigned and was written in
foreign hand.
Amatero, the sick italian, still insists
that he was the only passenger of the i'll
fated Massilia who came to Pittsburg.
The sanitary inspectors, however, refuse
to believe this, and are satisfied that all the
passengers who came West from New York
were instructed to be silent on the subject
of the disease for fear they would be re-
turned to their foreign homes. Officers
have been industiously looking for the
three Italians who were seen on the
Southside and in every quarter where the
foreigners congregate Those best ac-
quainted with the city have been instructed
to report the arrival OF any new comers
and to notify the authorities promptly In
case any of the foreigners are taken sick.
Peculiarly . Dirt Disease.
While discussing typhus fever yesterday
Dr.. Meyer said: '1t is exclusively dirt |
disease and there is no real cause for it to
spread in Pittsburg. Occasionally single |
case appears in civilized city, but it is
quickly isolated and its germs are carefully
destroyed. As rule, the danger is
stamped out at its very beginning. In the |
case of the Penn avenue victim all such |
precautions were taken.
'.In this case we have been taken unawares.
A ship load of typhus infected immigrants |
landed in New York and were allowed to |
scatter through the entire country. The |
first intimation of danger did not come to us |
until the disease had developed and one un-
fortunate was prostrated with it. !
"While this case has been isolated and |
the spread of the disease has been stayed, |
many persons, probably thousands, have |
been exposed to the contagion, and it is |
hardly conceivable that all will escape it;
nor is 1t possible to discover the victims |
who have been shipped into our city until |
the disease shows itself in their persons.
But the Health Board is properly aroused, |
and every effort will be made to discover
the victims, and each case found will be
promptly dealt with upon its appearance.
Meanwhile the cleaner the city is kept in |
every part the sooner will all danger pass