The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-10-09
SMALLPOX WILL
CAUSE SCHOOL
TO CLOSE
Negligence of Physician Held
Responsible for Spread
of Disease.

As the result of the investigation by
the Newark Board of Health of the
origin of the cases of smallpox that
have been discovered in Belleville, the
discovery was made by Doctor e. E.
Worl. head of the contagious disease
bureau, that there were three cases
Of smallpox within the city limits and
that one of the cases, that of a boy
with a well-defined case of the dread
disease, had been attending st.
Michael's Parochial School. The other
two cases were a month old.
The three victims were removed to
the isolation hospital last night, and
the local health authorities are taking
steps to stamp out the possible spread
of the disease.
DR.. Worl will order st. Michaeps
school closed. and will keep it closed
until the building is disinfected and all
the pupils vaccinated, and it will then
be kept under observation for some
time. :
The local cases are Alexander Wick
ham. - years old. and his 9-year-old
brother, Clarence, residing at 19 Mt.
Pleasant avenue, who were found to be
conyalescen by DR.. Worl, after another
physician had made a diagnosis of the
cases last month and declared them to
be c~hickenpox.
Health Inspector Gillen took Francis
Melon, II years old. of s Oriental place,
into custody while on his way to st.
Michael's school, and the boy was hur-
ried to the hospital. There is a direct
connection between the cases, The Me
Ion boy having played with the Wick
ham boys. They did not attend school.
Further investigation by DR.. Worl
revealed the fac that the Belleville
cases can be traced to his city. That
the cases would be unknown yet but for
the visit of DR.. Worl to the home of
Edward Peto, in Belleyille, seems like
ly. The local health official visited the
Belleville house to see the patient, and
while there was told that he had a
brother, John, who was down with the
disease. as well as his son, daughter
and a boarder.
Investigation showed that a brother,
Leonard, who works in this city, had
visited the house. DR.. Worl located the
man in this city and found that he vas
suffering from the disease, m had Wis
tied the Wickham home, where he may
have contracted it and carried it with
him to his home in Belleville.
The men with whom he came in con-
tact in this city and his shopmates
have been v~accinated and are being
closely watched by the health inspec-
tors.
It was said that the physician who
diagnosed the cases as chicken
poX may be hailed into court to ex-
plain why, if the cases were likely to
develop into something more serious
than chfcken-pox, he did not report
to the Board of Health as is the Gus
tom. 81
1t is understood that the mother of
the Wickham boys does work by the
day, and this puts another phase on
an intricate situation in an effort to
prevent a spread Of the disease. Leon
ard Peto, who is a truckman, came
into contact with many people in this
city.
AS the county isolation hospital at
Soho is not open yet, having cen
closed over a year to put in some
minor repairs, the Belleville cases are
isolated in their own homes.
The connection between the cases
showing gross neglect and carelessness
on the part of a doctor is one of the
worst situations that the local Board
of Health have ever q to face.