The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-01-08
SMALLPOX SCARE
After Fifty Had Been Vacci-
mated the Disease Proved
to Be Measles.
LAFAYETTE SCHOOLS DEPLETED
Four Hundred Children Are
Away Because of Illness
in Their Families.
LAFAYETTE SCHOOLS DEPLETED

The three Lafayette schools have been
almost depopulated since the session
began after the Christmas holidays
Glasses are scarcely more than half full.
In School No. 10 alone, on Johnston ave-
nue., over two hundred children are on
the absent roll In No. 13, on Pine street,
the roll of absentees totals over one hun-
dred, and in No. %, on Halliday street,
the figures show a falling off in the at-
tendance of more than seve1lty-ive. Near
ly four hundred scholars in the three
schools are on the absent list.
Measles were epidemic In that locality
a few weeks ago and somewhere in the
neighborhood of twenty little ones were
down with it. This scare had tendency
to deplete the school ranks. Recent
developments prove that an indefinite
number of pupils are laid up with the
malady. In almost every instance the pu-
pills are reported sick of some disease to
which children are subject.
Director Charles o. Barker who has
these schools under his supervision, is
alarmed over the state of affairs. In
speaking of the number og absentees, Mr..
Barker said that never before had SO
many pupils ben away at one time.
The principals and teachers reports
said he, that the exercises sent in by
the parents of the absent ones, tell of
nothing but sickness. The teachers in
some instances seem to think that some
of the children are playing truant. In
vestigation will be begun We are going
to round up those who are absent without
good excuse if such can be found
Our schools are not bit overcrowded
at present. We have sufficient room
now for hundreds of pupils because of the
absentees.'
Mrs. Brown, the principal of No. 10
School, said that the attendance had
fallen off greatly in the past week. Some
of our class rooms are but half FULL" said
she. Their is much sickness about and
| presume the falling off is due to that
cause. A great many or our schola 5 nave
been vaceinated recently and this, too,
may be responsible
DR.. Mortimer Lampson, of the Lafay-
cite section says that the city is full Of
measles. He has his hands full of such
cases. THE falling off in the school at
tendance said he, sis not very much OF
a surprise to those who know the true
state of affairs. School children living in
the same house with sick ones are not
allowed to attend. In some cases / know
of one sick child is the cause of the abb
sence of fifteen children. The Board of
Health refuses to allow children living in
proximity to measles patients to attend
school,
Lafayette had bad smallpox scare
few days ago and as result the doctors
were kept busy for several hours vacinat-
ing people of all ages. The scare started
in boarding house on Garrabrandt
street. where dozen or more men lived.
One of the boarders was taken sick. Some
of the other boarders got bit frightened.
All had a perfect horror of smallpox and
theb oarder's condition led them to be-
lieve that he ywas suffering from that
malady. Someone started the story of
smallpox patientin the boarding house.
Several storekeepers had fits in turn when
this news becamen oised about, because
the mistress of the boarding house had
been in the several stores.
Several families decided to adopt safe
measures and go and get vaccinated
DR.. Mortimer Lampson was seated in his
Office when he was called to the door by
a ring at the bell. There stood mother
with babe in her arms and five others
lined up behind her. She said that there
was a case of smallpox where she lived
and that all must be vaccinated. The
doctor did the trick and then started to
investigate. He found case of measles
instead of smallpox. In the meantime
about fifty or more people had been
scared into being vaccinated. The doc
tors did a rushing business.
DR.. Lampson, in speaking of the small
pox scare, said that he did not believe
there had been more than three genuine
cases in the city during the recent scare.
The doctors is an authority on this dis
ease, having been in charge of a smallpox
hospital some time ago.