New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-09
A MARTYR TO SCIENCE.
DIR. J. NJ. BYRON DIES FROM TUBERcULAR
CONSUMPTION.
HE CONTRACTS TIE DISEASE IN E"AMiN'>"
TIE sp,-TI-M OF PERSONS HIS RfPuIAiioH
AS BAcTERIoIOGIsT AND HIS SERVICES
DURING THE CHOLERA SCARE"

.DacTERIorOGlsT AND HIS SERVICES
DURING THE CHOLERA SCARE
DR.. James NJ Byron. who became well known
as bacteriologist through valuable sc'N''e
which ne performed as a member of the QUAR-
ant.nc staff died at noon yesteriay III '''' wv"
York Hospital from tuber ,ular con n'umptlon' age
,bir,v-four uo had been III with the disease
for more than a year. and his case was re-
markable because he ccntracted the disease wnAe
he WAS studving the tuberculosis bacteria In the
Ioomis Laboratory He was the hrst 10 ihdNe
the discovery that he he had contracted the uls-
ease
Or. Byron was born IN Lima. Peru. on July ~
1861 After his graduation at college there he
went to Naples. Italy. where he rcce'N'u H''
medical diploma in 1857. Afterward he went ~
Paris. He studied for several years IN 'he rams
Bacteriological Laboratory. Dr. Byron 'hen came
10 New-York. where. for several years III as
sisted Drs II. r Loomis and :. NJ blgSs III '"'
Loomls Laboratory. In 1891 ana lS'- u"''"b
the cholera scare. he was physician ana "''-
teriologist on Swinburrc Island. ana an hs7ls''''
to Health Officer jenkins. lie rendered ET'"'
service then 10 the city and to the county
pr. Byron lived with his wife and two children
on the first floor Of the nathousc 80 ~ i'"Si
Fiftecnth-st for several years. ana MS "i'c
and children continued 70 live there wheh ne
was attending t. cholera patients on Sw'lp"i"'
Island Although he continued To be- the ba'-
,cr,,loqist Of the Quarantine station after the
cholera scare" had passed he spent much - nv
tirnc at the LOOMS Laboratory ana lived with
HIS family in the Hat In Fincrnrh-st He was III
vigorous health at that time and weighed i5'
pounds. HIS fkill in the use II the microscope
and in the development and study Of bacil'i was
Of ht y,
and n, was frequently asked 10 make bacterio-
logical examinations for physicians at the labor
aiory.
II was in tho examination of the bacllli ~ con-
sumr,io, that ne contracted the fatal disease. ~
vas his custom to rccc!v. samples Il the spu'un
~ ncrs,ns who were suspected II having IN 'pi"nt
c,nsurnr,ion and examine the samples under "A
powerful microscope 70 detect. If possible. ihe
rrcscnce - the bacilll. Il IS we'll known - phy-
elcians that the tuberculosis bacilli are harmless
for purposes of examination when they are III a
moist state. and the examination u sp"'"f" !"
which they abound is therefore Mt dangerous
when the bacilli become dry. however, ih'y ho''
in the air and arc nkely - be- taken into the
lungs 4 any person who brea'hes the an Hr
BYron said. months ago when ~ kne" tha' ne
had contra tied consumption. that he m"s' nave
become careless after some ~ hls exhm.nin ms
and allowed IN" samples ol SI"tH" 80
dry In that way he had inhaled the bacteria oi
tuberculosis. without a, the time being aware u
Far,v I'm February = last year Dr Byron began
10 have hacking cough. and ms Sr-i''''', 49,
aroused lie examined his own syu;rin un'"9 "''
rllcr scope and made inr discovery thA' "' H''
tuicrculsr consumption. lie made r'p'a''n ~
am!uations and each time b." 81" under ih' l''"-
erful glars the Dacili which be had 80 '''h =
nizci In other cases. lie dli hvi alV'' 20
greatly alarmed ly Tn" discovery whi-n u" A"i
made but he told his friends Z hi' condition ana
made NJ secret of The manner IN whien h' """
contracted the disease
II. ,voe advised - se.R a warmer climate. ana
he went - Southern Italy. Ia th" hope ~ i'f''"
ing his h"aita. re- remained ahr0aH a.. su'.'ii',
but he returned 10 the CITY ia -" i'i'' '+.
" ,~se than when De- went away. lie htl ""st'n
olrroe, :, 4 skeleton and be- was 80 y AK tAhi IL
was only with di!il lci!tv that b" cohid Wt'N
about the city. HIS cough was ~ ssant ana ms
nights were restless Tho ccaih oi one o. h.S
"bVlir.n ..on after his return - the city had a
decreasing effect upon him. ana hr fFdhuh'y
e.-.u.i 10 lose hope that hc would recover I'ui-
ing The winter b.. remained In h.s nome h'hty d"
th. time visited frequently by phNsicians ~ 'n'
tI.,l,h Ioparfucuf who were his nrm friends
II. had been advised repeatedly 10 20 !" me hiS
REGIONS Of California or C'l1iae", "N' "',''' Nv
admitted that hl- lfc might D" prolonged ~ d
e,uv i'm such climate. h. kept puiu"g %" ms
,,renaraiious for a journey. Last week he ana hi'
family moved from the ntt IN FiN""nth-si 10
40 1875 Second-ave., and ne sain th,n 'tn' u,
would 70 10 California ~ soon a. His nanny ""'
been settled IN the new nome. ,,h
ON Saturday lpr byron WAS "''''n'' w"
danperous hcmorrhage Of the lungs, ana ne
Thought his death might occur inmehat'IS lr r
was removed IN an hfnDuiah'" - me -" ~"
tI.s,ftal where his condition seemed 10 lHpI 'f'
si,obtiv Another hcnorghagr occurred Nrsi"T-
do, morning however. and the physicians al ll'
bnsnltal saw that his end was near lis VIC
uas at his bedside when he died Shr hhh hls
body removed By an undertaken In the afternoon