The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-02-06
KISSING BLAMED
FOR D|PHTHER|A
At REFORMATORY
Railway Institution Official
Says Visiting Relatives
Brought SCOurge.
EPIDEMIC WELL IN HAND,
MANAGEMENT DECLARES
Board Considers improvements
and Changes to Better the
Conditions Generally.
LspeeIaI 10 the EvenIng sLar.l

RAILWAY, Feb. 6.-According to a
report submitted to the board of man
ayers of the Railway Reformatory yes
terday, the diphtheria scourge at that
institution is we'll in hand, and no fur
ther Increase is expected. The com-
mission held a meeting at the law office
of former Governor Foster NJ. Voor-
heee, in Elizabeth, and, after consider
ing the conditions at the reformatory,
came to the conclusion that everything
is being lone that is possible to wipe
out the disease.
One of the means by which this is to
be done is to hasten the completion Of
the new wing to the main structure,
SO that the crowded condition will be
relieved. July l is the time set by the
contractor for its completion, but it is
thought that the work may be hurried
so that it will be ready for occupancy
by June 1.
As the capacity at the present time
IL limited to $50 inmates. while there
are, nearly 600 in the institution, some
conception of the situation a be had.
Score Lack of Room.
1t has been only by the strongest
protest from Superintendent Martin
that the courts of the State have
ceased to commit additional subjects to
the institution. Every conceivable
space has been utilized for sleeping
room. With the new wing completed
it will be possible to accommodate 1000
men, but there will be no surplus room
IL the comfort of the inmates is to be
considered.
AS stated in the EVENING STAR
Yesterday, there are nearly 200 IN
dividuals under the care of the house
physician, although according to the
report of the doctors only 26 have been
diagnosed as actual diphtheritic cases.
The balance are classed as bacterio-
logical cases, and not dangerous.
Charles S. Cant, one of the night
guards, is down with the disease, who.
aside from the one mentioned yester-
day, is the only guard thus far afflicted.
Chief Clerks statement.
Manton D.. Martin, chief clerk of the
reformatory, attended the meeting of
the board Of managers yesterday and
made the following statement to a
STAR representative:
"'There is absolutely no cause for
alarm from the outbreak of diph-
iberia in the Railway Reformatory.
In fact, you would not know that
any one was sick if you were 10
visit the institution. OF the 140 in
mates whose cases have been di-
agnosed, the physicians have pro-
nounced only &c as being actual
cases of diphtheria, the ia remain
ing being inflicted with bacteria.
'.Dr. Mitchell, of the State Board
of Health, says hat he has just
discharged eight men as having en-
tirely recovered from the disease.
The Others have been inoculated,
and the disease Is considered prac-
ticaily under control. Each patient
has been treated to 200 units of
anti-toxine.
All the patients r occupying a
room on the third floor OF the
domestic building, which is S0x200
feet in dimensions, and away from
all the other inmates. The fact hat
there have been no deaths shows
the situation is not so serious as it
might be-"
VISITORS Fest.
When asked il he knew the cause oI
the outbreak of diphtheria, Mr.. Martin
replied:
I'VE are quite confident that it
was brought to the institution by
some of the friends of the inmates
who have come to visit them. This
can be done when it is a fact, not
\ generally known, that from 300 to 400
persons visit the reformatory each
Sunday.
when these meetings take place
there is always a great display OF
affection such as hugging and kiss
ing, and the transmission of disease
is very easy. This is the only source
To- which we can possibly trace the
origin of the disease.