New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-15
CHILDREN HYSTERIOt SLY Ill.,.
STRANGE DISEASE CAUSING SEVERAL
DEATHS AT THE HEBREW ORPHAN
ASYLUM AND OTHER INSTI-
TI'TIONS.

An extraordinary and az present ineXplicable dis
ease has broken out among the children IN the
Hebrew Orphan Asylum. at Ansterdam-aNe ana
Ore-hundred- thirtysxth-st There are $50 emil
dren In the asylum which is one o. the most I'M
uortant Hebrew charities in this city, and the
Board OF Directors Of which includes most OF the
prominent New-York Hebrews. Until about three
weeks ago the standard OF health III the a'!
um ever since its foundation years ago. mas
been very satisfactory the annual death rate pehs
only about per cent Within the last three weeks
five children have died. and a large number are
stricken with a sickness which no ply siclah can
either explain or give a name TO-
The directors OF the institution are doing every
thing possible to save the lives OF the rest OF tho
children. As quickly possible those who are well
are being sent to their homes while the 100 "ho'
W to two days ago. had been attacked with the
mysterious malady were removed TO n private nos
pital. specially rented by the directors at ROCK
away.
The sickness is similar in its symptoms 10 dysen-
terry but the usual treatment for that disease mas
proved OF no avail while the safeguards when are
generally successful in preventing its spread have
also useless. AS has been said, no one Is able
10 explain the cause OF the trouble, but the gen
eral opinion is that the Croton water which the
children drink Is responsible for it, This theory Is
also borne by the fact that a few OF the chill
dren in the Sheltering Arms Asylum at Tenth-aVe.
and Observation-Disclosures ninth-st., and IN the
Hebrew Shelterins Guardian Society Boulevard ana
One-hundred acknowledgement have also oeeh SUI
FERNS from a similar sickness. Some OF tho resi-
dents In the part OF the city in when the asyIums
are situated also say that symptoms similar TO
those reported amons the children have appeared
in their families. in the ShelterinS Guardian 80
ciety only one case has appeared, put il IeSul'ou
fatally Saturday. .
The sickness has caused the greatest distress 10
the officers Of the Hebrew Orphan Asy lum Elhdh-
uel Lehman, the president. has cut short MS Naca-
lion and returned to New \ ork. as has also tho
Iice-presideut, Henry Rice. Louis stern. one OF
the directors has spent hours al the asylum cNci
day since the trouble began TO be serious one o.
the officers told 4 Tribune reporter yesterday thdl
IL was a piti.u sight at mcaliimc Yesterday 10 re
the tables. usually surrounded with healthE ana
cheerful children, almost bare. and the niue ones
who we're present frightened by the sickness ana
deaths among their companions
The building viii be cOscd as soon as ever pro-
vision can be made FOR IN" children VINO no" re
main In IL. II proper homes cannot be iould WIN
any OF a chld's relatives. he or she VIII DC sent
IN the country AS soon as the last child has eon,
av.av The building will bc thoroughly oNerhauled
bv competent sanitary experts. in order TO discover
r. the trouble * caused by defective PLUMBING u
5 hardly expected however. that anything WIo,,s
viii be found. care to have the premises III the
hest sanitary condition has always been taken anc
the fact that other cases have occurred eISeWh'Ie
points to the conclusion that the cause OF INC
disease from the outside ono opinion mas h'tIl
m; forward that the close weather recently may
have caused the sickness. but the genera oilhioH,
botb among the physicians and the officers is MAJ
Something is wrong with the CroiOn water supply
in that section O. the city.