The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-04-18
REACHED A CT LIMAx.
Health Board Officials Think
Smallpox May Easily
Be Checked In
Hot Weather.
GREAT DANGER NEXT FALL
Hard Work All Summer Will
Be Necessary to Prevent
a Recurrence of 1t In
the Winter.
GREAT DANGER NEXT FALL

While believe the present epidemic of
smallpox has reached its worst stage, be-
/ cause there is every prospect of it being
easily controlled In warm weather, / also
peileye there is every prospect that it viii
break out again in more virulent form
next winter and that there will be many
more cases than we have had this year
unless the people of our county take
warning and are vaccinated,
These words were spoken to a s.News''
reporter yesterday by County Physician
Charles B. Converse, who in his twenty
six years in that position has handed
| over two thousand cases of the dread dis
ease, must certainly be regarded as more
than idle talk, especially as to the omin-
Gus prediction for the near future
On what do you base your belief that
the epidemic will be renewed next win
ter?" he was asked
In my experience 1 have never known
an epidemic of smallpox to end in one
year, and the type of the disease is al
ways much more severe the second year"
replied the County Physician.
Why do you think the backbone of
the present epidemic is practically
broken?'
Because the present cases, while unus-
ually large in number, cannot be regarded
except as sporadic. Sixty per cent. of
them have been in three families. Mine
or ten were in one family in East New
ark nve in one family in Bayview ave-
nue., Jersey City; four in, one family in
Union Hill; about a dozen were sporadic
cases, and four or five contracted the dis
ease outside of this county.
Despite DR.. Converse's belief that the
worst stage of the epidemic has passed
the fact tat tree more victims of te dread
disease We're received at the Snake Hill
pest mouse yesterday has added to the
general alarm felt througout the county,
TWO of these were members of the Doug
lass family of East Newark. where there
were recently seven other cases. one of
which resulted fatally. TIE otter was a ten
year old child named Walsh living q IN
Harrison
inspector Nevin, DR.. Hendrick and AS
slstant Clerk Lynch of the County Health
Board We're again in West Hudson yester-
day DESTROYING the clothing and fumigat-
.ng the rooms from which the latest vic
TINS were taken
Ihe Freeholders at their special confer
ence last night considered the matter of
proVlding Tor any future patients suffer-
ing from smallpox who may be received
at snake Hill. The present pest house is
taxed to its utmost to accommodate the
victims now there, and tent has been
erected adjoining in which are housed the
convalescing male patients.
Five have been recently discharged as
cured. and % patients remain in the in
stItution this morning OF these about
one-nalf are convalescing. One child from
Harrison has continent smallpox anda n
other little one belonging to the unfortun-
ate Werner family of Bay View avenue
IS very low and will probably die.
warden Havens and Matron Burgess
who alone care for the sufferers. feeding
and bathing them as well as giving them
thelr medicine at regular intervals, are
overWorked. County Physician Converse
mas SO much to do. examining alleged
cases of the disease in different sections
OF the county, as well as attending to his
numerous other duties, that he is allowed
lttle time for rest and hardly has an
opportunity of visiting Snake HILL Under
THESE circumstances the entire medical
care of the unfortunate victims deyolyes
upon Medical Superintendent George w.
sAlng OF the asylum and DR.. Richard
The formula for the treatment of the
unfortunate sufferers, prepared by Dr.
Converse and DR.. King, and which has
been, so successful in the past fortunately
does not require the regular attendance
| OF physician. The warden and matron
administer the prescribed treatment ac-
cording to directions, otherwise the two
physicians at Snake Hill would have alb
solutely no time to attend to their numer-
| Gus other duties among the insane, sick
and dying of the several institutions
Never since they were appointed have
! Doctors King and Schlemm been so busy
at busy at the county institutions as
they now are, and from present indica-
tions there is little prospect of immedi-
ate relief.
Should many more smallpox cases be
brought to Snake Hill it may be neces-
sary to provide for them in the con-
tagious disease hospital, situated on the
southern side of the hill, and controlled
by Warden Whelan under the County
Health Board. This institution is intend
| ed for contagious diseases other than
smallpox, but there is no other place for
the unfortunate sufferers from that dis
ease. unless that building is pressed into
1 service.