New Britain herald., 1916-12-04
Pierce Street Patient Is Not ViC-
 tim, Doctors Say
EPIDEMIC SEEMS CHECKED
All Patients Resting Comfortably- EIagman, Thrown From Car Badly 1nJllred-hay Form VigilantCs COmnlittcc-BricfS

There is reason to believe today. ac- cording to pr. John N. Bull, town health officer, that the high tide of the typhoid epidemic in this place has been reached and that from now on the prevalence of this dreadful dis ease will gradually decline The latest scare in the epidemic occurred yesterday when pr. Lawrence H. Frost and Dr. Bull were called into consultation in the illness of Miss Meta Saunders of Pierce street. It is on Pierce street that the disease first made it's appearance, and there were several victims living in that vii cinity. Miss Saunders developed alarming symptoms and although her attending physician, Dr. Frost, did not think she had typhoid, he deemed it best to make positive, so the health officer was called into consultation. The verdict was that the patient was not suffering from typhoid. This an- nouncement brings a feeling of great relief not only to the family but to the community at large.
 The condition of all of the other patients today was reported as favor able, although several are still said to be critically i'll.
 pr. Bull stated this morning that there have been no new cases of ty- phoid since last Wednesday. That is almost a week ago, and he is hope full that the crisis has been reached and the epidemic checked. It is i'm possible, however, to positively state yU{1 ho f1r don as it sometimes takes two weeks for the germs to incubate in a persons system before they make themselves apparent. It is two weeks since the disease first came to notice here and, inasmuch as the majority of the cases developed within a week of that time, there is good reason to feel hopeful for the future, according to the towns physicians.
 Of the eight people to be stricken by the disease only one has died, Rosario Pettinato, son of Frank Pet tinato of Pierce street. Recovery of the other patients Is anticipated. Mary Pettinato and Miss Dorothy Conlin, the latter of Whiting street, are both patients at St. Francis hospital and their conditions are favorable. LlOyd Edwards of West Main street Is at the Hartford hospital, as is Wilson Ellis of Whiting street. There have been no alarming developments in the con- dition of either of these two patients over Sunday. Sunday marked tho crisis in the case of William Marshall of Canal street, and today his recovery seems more hopeful, although he fs still in serious condition. The condi- tions of Julius Hirsch of Mountain View, Miss Ethel Barnes of Broad
 
 to be improved this morning.
 Although Health Officer Bull and Dr. J IT. Black of the state health departm both declare they are con- vinced that the epidemic of typhoid resulted from the sale of cOntaminat- ed milk by Lyman M. Burt, for a quarter of a century well-known milk dealer in this place, there are many people in town who do not agree with them, and still hold to the orig inal belief that the water supply IS the cause of the epidemic. According to the health officials, the milk sold by MT. Burt was presumably infected with bacteria, and the victims who partook of milk shakes prepared from this milk in Louis Conforti's store on West Main street were subsequently stricken.
 Those who disagree with the health officials think that had the milk been the cause of the disease the sickness would be more widespread about the town, as MT. Burt had many custom CTS For some time previous to the outbreak of the epidemic people claim that the water furnished for drinking purposes was unwholesome. They say that it's color was bad and that its odor was such as to make 1t posi- lively disgusting. Analysis, however; is said to have discredited the water theory with tho health officials. The water supply, which had been shut off for a few days, has again been turned on. During the few days that the water was turned off a force of men were engaged in cleaning tho reservoir and today the water Is somewhat improved, although 1t still appears to be tainted with the objec- tionable odor
 The health officials have condemned MT. Burt's milk supply and until they lift the embargo on his dairy he will not supply his customers.
 May Organize Vigilantes.
 Some of the residents of the district in the vicinity of Westwood park are said to be considering the organiza- ton of a local vigilantes committee as the result of an attempted attack on 9 young lady living in that locality recently. The young woman had been to New Britain and was. returning to her home, several hundred feet from the trolley line. unescorted. A man described as short. thick and pock- marked, sat opposite to her on the car and made himself offensive by his attempts to attract her attention. As she left the car in this lonely section the man also left and followed her. Panlc-stricken, the young woman broke into frenzied run toward her home, the man in close p11rs1lit In q