The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-27
FEVER ON MURRAY HILL.
MISTAKEN At FIRST FoR TYPHOID,
BUT REALLY MALARIA.

The BiE Open Ditch In Firth Ayenue.
Considered One OF the Causes OF IT,
1t Is Not - Deadly Disease Itaeif
but 1t Makes Other Diseases Deadly.
All the physicians in the ncighhorhood Of
Murray Hill have their hands full at pres
ent with a fever that resembles typhoid, but
Is not typhoid. 1t IL n mulnriul fever that ap-
pearcd about a month ago, and that has In
raded the whole neighborhood. The victims
are chiefly tho residents of Fifth avenue, Madi-
son avenue and Park avenue, and the side
streets from Thirtieth up to about Fiftieth.
Nearly all the district is built up with brown
stone houses and occupied by fashionable
people. Since election the weather in and
about New York has been favorable for the
propagation of whatever germs cause the
fever. and the III st two weeks 1t has been par
ticularly favorable, being muggy and damp
and warm and cold by turns. That sort Of
weather, the doctors say, is ideal for the de-
velopmont and spread OF disease germs.
But In addition TO tho weather there Ii an
other cause. Fifth avenue is torn up and filled
with odors that smell to heaven. These odors
are a combination of Illuminating gas and
sewer gas and fresh carth-or what would be
fresh earth in the country and that combine
tion is almost always followed by malaria and
fever or malarial fever. The diggink up of
Fifth avenue was begun long before election.
The Commissioner Of Public Works said 10
was nece ssary because the lowers in the street
were unequal to carrying of tho sewage, and
were ovorworked. II they were not relieved
by larger sewers sickness would follow. The
work Of laying new pipes was to be done with
ouI delay and all that. 1t may be that there
has not been any delay in the work. but il
seems to the people who have had 10 suffer
have, been made sick by them. that tha work
has been an Internationally long time doing.
The street has been open nearly a month. Huge
pipes limo tho big. hole that has been dug. A
Sun reporter walked through the avenue .
week ago cooking at the work. and again yes
terday. The street yesterday was, so far az
could be seen from tho walk in precisely the
did not appear to have been n thing done, and
the frightful smell was almost strangling. Usu-
ally Fifth avenue in that neighborhood Is full
OF promenaders day and night. The reporter
had the street all TO himself. In q walk Of
na.eee ear pieSS 81! ne sabpS SSssq tGs' 81 one sis man nnss This
muggy weather frst.appeared the doctors near
" all mistook. IL for typhoid, go nearly: did
the early symptoms resemble the symptoms of
that disease. IL was several days before the
mistake was corrected: The fever is said to
It causes little sores in the mouth and nose and
ears. Sometimes there is a rash on The body.
tient as typhoid lie, although it IS not so danger
Gus. There have, been no fatalities SO far duo
dir tHtl II to pd it, d The chief HE da2Eer I'm. insi iiS to b it
victim open to alta ks of diseases that are
DANGEROUS, such as pneumonia and tyohoid.
following the fever. and one or two deaths.
The system being weakened, it is unable 10
fight the disease that follows the fever. So
district where the fever is prevalent have
closed up their houses and gone to live in
stored TO its proper condition. So fer the
Board of Health has taken no cognizance OF
Is ise not 5too oonsar PoSsum fbat is sef to saT Enf /, a Is nos
communicable from one person to another.