The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-07-07
UBCALLHD FOR FEAR.
Residents of Greenville
Excited Over Action of
the Health Authorities.

On June 16 last. Sanitary officer Mile
OF tho Fourth precinct discovered II case
of smallpox in the family OF Mr.. and
afflicted one was Mr. and Mrs. Haas
~seven.year-old daughter. Officer Miller
at once notified Captain McKaig OF the
case. who in tura notified the Health
Board. The hoard ordered the house
~quarantinsd. but at the same time de-
clared the case TO be not a serious one,
and gave Mr.. nj Mrs. Haas permission
to leave the child there. When tina farfs
in the case appeared III IHE JERSEY CITY
NEWS the residents IN the vicinity of the
Haas house became alarmed, aud not a
few declared that the Board OF Heath
acted in an outrageous mauDer when it
rave the Haas family permission to con-
vert It's house into Il pest house.
The child is still suffering from the
dreaded disease, aud the residents are
still clamoriug that the health autnori-
lies should a her removed to the pest
house at Snake Hill. They also charge
the authorities with neglect of duty.
They say that a flag should be placei on
the building as d sigual of warning. as is
usually done when cases of infectious
disease are discovered.
CITIZENS RIGHTS.
Ono resident VINO lives within a stones
throw of the Haas residence, VIII en- inter-
viewed by a reporter of The JERSEY
CITY NEWS, yesterday, sald:-
II think that the Health Board is TAX
lug u big risk in this case. We are told
that a child in the Haas family is
afflicted with smallpox, and that the
csse is not a serious one. l do not see
what difference it makes whether the
case is n serious one or not. The sufferer
should be removed TO the peat house at
Snake Hill in either case. We feel ex-
tremeIy uncomfortable when we know
that smallpox Is within a few feet of our
homes. Almost every evening members
OF the Haas family can be seen sitting on
Tue front porch of their residence. Is
not this daugerons? Are we not liable to
catch this disease? 1t is nothing short OF
criminal neglect to allow such Il state of
affairs to exist, aud the members OF the
Health Board should be given 10 under
stand that we have some rights which
thew are bound to respect and which they
must respect. There IL no hag or mark
on the house to tell strangers that the
dreaded desease r Within aud it NAV
be communicated TO US In any number of
ways.
1T is now almost three weeks since, the
case was discovered, aud It may have be-
come much more serious for ali we know.
All the residents In this vicinity are OF
the opinion that the Dsst plan for the
Health Board to adopt would be the safest
one, ~uanely, To remove the child to the
pest house. / hope that The JERSEY
CITY NEWS will help us and ngitate the
matter until the child is removed from
her present nome. We certainly do not
fesl safe while she is there
CAPTAIN M'KAIG CAN'T INTERFERE.
Captain MckaiP OF the Foursh preeiucG
had the foiio 10 say when inter
viewed by the reporter
SANITARY officer Miller reported che
matter 10 me as 5000 as he discovered
thai the child was suffering from small
pex. l Immediately Notified the hsalta
authorities who told na thai the case
was not q serious one, and that they had
deciaed to allow the CHILD 20 remain win
her parents. They told me that che
house had been q~uaraatined aud that the
family physician. A. Wilkinson. WAS at
Tending The child. l received orders
not to modest the Haas family aud
l do not see now l can
lie blamed for obeying orders.
The matter has now been placed in the
hands OF the health authorities and it is
to them that the residents must look for
reiief.n
Numerous doctors in the Greenville
and Bergen secJious have head a1out
the matter ana Hi tRose interviewed by
The reporter were Of the opinion that the
health authorities should exercise more
- 1850 rfA r.