The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-01-04
SCRANTON INDESPAIR
Typhoid Record Now Nearly
1,000-FamiliGS Fleeing.
PITIFUL SCENES IN HOSPITALS
Patients In Many Houses Found III
and Are Unuttcndcd-NiIke
QuaraBtines Against Stricken City.
Water supply Found Poisoned by
Fever Gcrms-Hany New Cases.

Scranton, Pa. Jan. with a total
number Of cases rapidly nearing the 1000
mark. and the deaths increasing every
hour, the typhoid epidemic. which has
been raging in this city for the last
twenty days. is beginning 10 take on a
serious aspect.
Forty-four new cases and six deaths
was the record for to-day, a decided In
crease over yesterday. making the total
number Of cases 943. The report Of Or.
Dixon that typhoid germs in large guam
titles have been found in all Of the
reservoirs has created considerable con
sternation.
The city officials and the health board
confidently announce to the public that
they have the situation well in hand
and that it VIII be only matter Of days
before the disease will be stamped out.
But It is easy 10 see that they are in
reality not as well satisfied with the out
look as they would have the people of the
possible effort to prevent a panic. It is
for this reason that no attempt is being
made to prevent any one from leaving
the city.
WiII1eSbarre Quarantines.
tt has remained for Wilkesbarre to take
the first strenuous measures for self-pro-
lection A proclamation was issued this
morning, signed by the mayor and chief
OF police. warning the people against en-
tcring Scranton. and officers were placed
az the railroad stations to prevent any
passengers from this place aIightng there.
II is expected that other towns in the
ueighborhood Will adopt similar measures
Of protection on account OF the large
number Of people who are leaving here on
every train
SUpt Keller Of the bureau Of health. is
meeting with the greatest difficulty in get
ting physicians 10 report cases and deaths
10 the department Miss Annie O'HOlla-
ran. OF Philadelphia. who has charge Of
the nurses employed by the city. on a tour
of inspection day before yesterday found
dozens Of cases on the South Side in the
tenement district that had not been re-
ported To the authorities and many that
did not even have medical attendance.
south Side a Plague spot.
The conditions on the South Side are
the worst that can BE- imagined. Dozens
Of the tenement dweIlers are lying IN and
destitute ia the most squalid surround
ings. Instances have been found of whole
families Frustrated by the plague in two
or three small rooms. A mother and her
two little daughters were found yesterday
in an advanced stage Of the fever in one
bed They were an delirious, and without
care or medicine
The four hospitals Of the city are all
packed 20 overlooking. and the greater
part % the new cases have TO be treated
In thei- homes Miss OHollaran has en-
tire charge of this work. and IS laboring
twenty hours out of every twenty-four TO
s q it in some BIND Of shape. She was
the head nurse during the Nauticoke and
Butler cPidemics. and is thoroughly com
petent. She IS being assisted by a dozen
experienced typhoid nurses, who have
been hired by the city from Philadelphia
and Wilmington. They make daily tours
Of the tenemeuts. administering what
comfort they can and instructing those
not yet infected with the disease how TO
care for their friends and families.
Water supply Infected.
The congestion is terrible. Dozens Of
beds have been set up IN the corridors IN
III every inch Of space has been utilized.
Superintendent. nurses. and doctors are
heavy-eyed with fatigue and still they
stick 10 their posts. The telephone bells
in the offices are ringing constantly-s0me
anxious father, or mother. or brother or
sister wanting to inquire about loved
one.
The Thirteenth Regiment Armory has
been converted into a hospital to relieve
the pressure AT the other institutions. and
the work Of moving patients was begun
this morning. DR. ". G. Wainwright.
chief surgeon of the Moses Taylor H0spi-
tai will be In charge. and Miss Elizabeth
ODouneH. superintendent Of the Scranton
Opon-air Hospital for Consumptives. has
volunteered her services and those of her
entire staff of nurses.
After much discussion and delay. the
source Of the infection has been definitely
traced to the water supply Milk. ice. and
about everything else have been accused
in their turn. the Rev. George Clarke
Peck Of the Elm Park Church. even go
ing so far as 10 announce that God had
visited the plague upon the city because
Of municipal Incompetence. corporate
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