New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-06

a lodging room, and they might scatter the dis
ease still further. My order is intended TO pre-
vent such troubles az far possible"
The apprehension of a typhus epidemic has no
substantial foundation in fact, in the opinion
Of several leading Ncw-York physicians, expressed
Yesterday in the course Of conversations with
Tribune reporter DR.. Stephen Smith, DR.. j.
Woods McIane Dr. L. g. Janeway DR.. Richard
F. Derby and other physicians whose names are
familiar to NEWCOMERS all believe that the
city is in no danger of epidemic. The cases
of typhus so far reported number only ninety
seven.
DR.. Stephen Smith. president of the Interna-
tional Medical Missionary Society, has an experience
IN New-lork extending considerably over half cen
fury He is hopeful regarding the outlook there
are many reasons" he said, why this outbreak
| call it by no stronger n8ne-wll not develop
into anything approaching a panic. have
watched attentively the progress Of the typhus
since the first case reported from the Bayard-st.
den, and TO judge by the way in which tho
Board has met IT, | believe that it will soon be
STAMPED out or course the tramp with his
wandering habits and his filthy life is likely to
carry contagion wherever he goes; but II Is
only among people Of his own class and KIND
that he would be likely to communicate tho
disease BY simple contact. Bring him In CON
tact with man like himself, in the same poor
condition Of health, and ono hour might suihoe
I,ut with people not so readily susofp'lple u
infection, he would have 10 stay IN house
or room for a night. But the tramp
except when he sleeps, and he sleeps among
his own class, and in a lndging-housc-never
STAYS in one place for than few minutes. his
is clearly shown in the present outbreak Every
case so far has hcen traced to one common
source-No "a Bayard-st and the people VINO
slept in it. The men found in other loaSihs
bonsos had either contracted the disease in that
house or had been brought in constant contact
with others who had lodged there and were after
rd s.,icEen down As each OF these cds'~
arose the BOARD net it, isolated the patient ara
nuritjed the house In this way, and only in
his way. will the con,agion be checked In my
opinion. the end Of the typhus scourse IS only
the question Of few days
us il possible for the public, with care ana
nrecaution TO save themselves from nfecuon
asked the reporter.
"Ony by keeping away from typhus patient
soid Dr smith AS | said just now, with care
and cleanliness they arc less liable TO iniec'i'n'
but then il is all matter OF chShoc'
Certain internal conditions in the recipient
NAV, Of course. prccipitate infecton' pun
under the existing conditions nave
little fears Of any serious spread oil the out
break When people think OF getting lri6h'ehe"
q, an insignificant and easy-traced case Ike the
present. they would do well TO look up the
records Of four years, from 40 10 '53, when
was in Bellevue Hospital under Professor Clark
Tho Irish irnmierants o! 40 brought the typhus
wi,b tbcm and from 40 TO '53 we were fight
inc it, Ne Health Bard no regulation, scarcely
any kind OF defence TO tic scOurgc, and AT one
time !. 200 cases on our hands. Look at that ana
compare IL with what people now call an
cpidemc.'
"If tho Board had taken stringent action three
,ooks ago when the FIRST cases appeared, do yon
,binI, they could have stopped the outbreak /?
asked the reporter
without passing any criticism on the OK
trcmely able gentlemen i'll chorSe OF the cases
NAV say generally that wherever yphns i
found il is necessary 10 cleanse inc mouse anu
quarantine the people with WHOM 'hc pa.ir,'
has been associated Whenever man IuN!
develops typhus, lie is sure 10 leave con'''''"
behind him. and in that c'eh' SeVcr'' '"o,o
oos.s will follow By imprisoning the suspects
for the period Of incnbations Hon may co"iNo
tho oroa of the disease within narrow limits.
n. Woods NcIanc. Dean Of tho College OF
p,,sio,,rs md Surgeons takes the same optimistic
,.,,. 30 tho situotion. There is not the slIghcSt
,i,.lihood or even possibility Of an epidemic nc
,.ia and talk OF that kind is all nonsense. ms
10 s,mnlv an outbreak from Onc source; every ca7"
ON i,r reporled from what you "i
mo being directly or indirectly traceaoie 10
tho tramp lodcine-houscs. An cploeniio
s.ivos A whole people. Its action IS sporao'c'
r. tho cases in Ninetcenth-st and 'arlcE rn'''
1000 snoradc-that is TO say, if tie typhus nan
"er" ra sp origin and growth IN each OF ihesc
ho"sasI might fear an epidemic. bnt , AZ IL
Nv 10 oil ether cases SO far reported, pe9 hiuii,
~ and !" tho Bowcry clearinghouse can De oI'''s
. p0n "' II the Ninetcenthst. case h" ''o,Id
Sporadic origin several new f nn1are " n"w
20 arisen in that house pcIors ,roaiti
The measures adopted by the boaru % ,s, Viii
+, nreventng the growth al I"Vor-i'cno or, "o
~ Tho disease and that quickly. WILL
ca pw that The nincty-ivc coses already repo.c1
~ 20" no traced 10 the FIST patient taNeI o"r VI
Wa,,ords, Find out his name, his his,oi ,;II
srobabiy he'll prove to be sailor anu you WIN -
pIonh,, a' IN follow the march OF the disease uo
We ~" ston ND to its present stage ,
III Pichard H. Derby, who formerly was gn'
a., ~ o,dvisorv committee of the Board OF Ie 1.i
VIZ think we will have more OF the typhu's'
Int have no expectations OF any serious cr re' and
al the cases have a common origin no Ial " ;
.hre ia little or no chance OF thing appr2acn
w., uasnitude of an epidemic. want rignt neao
90 sav that the police lodging rooms are oissra'c
~ the city Here a great danger threa'eIIis ,nJ
citv where the tramps in oil their nun arg
70 90 into the stations and mix WIN uic hca, not
men. They cannot sleep ana .oc oaln,v'
~ash. and they sit hudded , ,og ,wii
wncS'.., a. .ir and il already injected Will