The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-12-31
TOO MUCH SMALLPOX
County Being Hard Pushed
to Provide for the
Patients.

The constant increase in the number OF
smallpox patients under treatment at the
Snake Hill Contagious Disease Hospital
is taxing that institution to its utmost
capacity. With view to being prepar-
ed for possible emergencies the County
Board of Health requested Director
Holmes of the Board of Freeholders to
make arrangements as soon as possible
for additional accommodations.
Director Holmes, in reply, stated that
every means possible would be adopted
to hasten work on the new isolation hos
pital in course. of erection. County SUI
perintendent C.. p Smith will devote his
entire attention to the completion of the
building and If necessary additional me-
chanics will be engaged to- assist those
now in the employ of the county who are
doing the work.
More patients are arriving daily than
are leaving the institution and the indica-
tions now are that before the end of the
week there will be over one hundred
smallpox victims at the Contagious Dis
ease Hospital The building cannot ac-
commodate a greater number, but Direc-
tor Holmes has promised the health au-
thorities that should the necessity arise
before the completion of the new hospi-
tai the Freeholders will at once provide
one or more portable buildings which can
be used for the purpose.
The general scare over the alarming
prevalence of the disease has resulted in
many supposed cases being reported,
which, on Investigation, were found not
to be smallpox. A story to the effect
that four cases were being concealed in
the house at No. 413 Monmouth street,
was investigated by a county health in
spector yesterday and found to be ground
less.
County Physician Charles 3. Converse
yesterday visited two alleged cases OF
smallpox-one that of seven year old
child at No. 52s Oak street, West Hobo
ken, and the other four year old boy
living IL John street, Bayonne-and found
that they had been diagnosed wrongly by
the attending physicians.
AS ar additional precaution to stop the
further spread of the disease the health
authorities, when patient is removed
from a place kill all the cats and dogs
in the house to prevent the disease germs
being carried by them into other houses
The case Of a child named Hunter Hv-
ing at NO. 70 Cliff street, was reported to
the county health board yesterday. It
was found that the little one was really
sufferer from smallpox, but as the par
ents refused TO allow their little one to pe
taken to Snake Hill, the child will pc
cared for al its home.
Another case was reported yesterday
in the Hopkins family, No 125 Collar1
street. Hopkins, it is alleged, is Faith
Curist. and he neglected to summon a
physician or notify the, health authorities
as one after another of his eight children
We're stricken
The only other case reported yesterday
was thai of J. Wilde, Of No. 250 Railroad
avenue He was at once removed to
Snake Hill and his home qlarantjned and
funigaIed.
Owing to the widely separated portions
OF the county in which the disease is APP
pe8fing the Freeholders have been oblfg-
ed to Secure an additional conveyance n
order to move patients to Snake Hill with
as little delay as possible.