1899 Epidemic Outbreaks
New Jersey

Source: Twenty-third Annual Report of the Board of Health of the State of New Jersey Report of the Bureau of Vital Statistics 1899.
Submitted by: C. Horton -2007

SMALL-POX.

The legislative enactment creating a State board of health makes it one of the duties of the board to make inquiries into the causes of epidemics.
Whenever, therefore, an unusual number of cases of any communicable disease occurred an investigation is made of the possible causes, and the local authorities are given advice and assistance in every possible way. Prior to 1895 there was no law in this State which required local boards of health to report cases of infectious diseases to the State board of health. The law which was passed at that time is explicit in its requirements, but on account of new members being appointed to local boards of health, and especially where the secretary of a local board is replaced, the reporting is sometimes neglected. Each year, however, shows a definite improvement over the preceding one, and in most instances reports are made promptly. The year closing December 31st, 1899, has been marked by a number of cases of small-pox, which have appeared in various localities. The investigation of the source of infection in almost every instance showed that the disease was contracted from persons coming from the south, especially from points in Virginia. Over 90 cases of this disease were reported during the year, and a short description is given of the cases in each locality.
It is especially interesting to note that by isolation of patients and free vaccination in every instance the extension of the disease was prevented.

BLOOMFIELD.
The following is a history of two cases of small-pox which occurred in Bloomfield.
A man by the name of Max Johnson, who lived in the brick row on Franklin street, received an injury to his hand and went to the Memorial Hospital, Orange, for treatment.
After a week he was discharged, but on Monday, the twelfth of June, he returned to the hospital to have his hand dressed. The physician in charge noticed an eruption on his face and ordered him to return home. Dr. Lockwood, of Bloomfield, saw him and stated that he was suffering from small-pox.
On Tuesday Dr. Bailey was notified, and he suggested that Dr. White, who has had an extensive experience in the diagnosis of small-pox, be called in. Dr. White confirmed the diagnosis already made.
The house in which the patient resided was quarantined and Johnson was removed to the poor-farm on Thursday night. At the time of inspection the premises from which the patient had been removed were examined, and it was found that they had been thoroughly disinfected. The walls and woodwork had been drenched thoroughly with a dichloride solution, and formaldehyde had been used in all of the rooms. The parties living in the house were vaccinated, and the board carried on systematic vaccination as rapidly as possible. About the first of July a brother of Johnson, who had been exposed, contracted the disease and was sent to the isolation hospital. The origin of the first case is uncertain, but Johnson states that while in Orange he watched some colored boys playing on the street, and it may be possible that some of them had come from infected houses. There is a very slight possibility that the disease may have been contracted at the hospital in some way, as early in May a case was removed from the Memorial Hospital by the Orange authorities and taken to the contagious disease hospital.
 

DOVER.
Three cases of small-pox were reported as occurring in Dover. These  cases are directly traced to the outbreak in Rockaway.
Maria Copeland, a colored girl, who went to Dover from Mr. Tuck's house in Rockaway, and who had recovered from small-pox, obtained employment at the house of
Mr. P. Jenkins, on Prospect street, Dover, remaining there until November 16th. On the date of November 16th, a daughter of Mr. Jenkins, Annie, 15 years of age, was taken ill, and diagnosis of varioloid was made. She had not been to school within a week before her attack. The second child, a son, 17 years of age, was taken ill at the same time; diagnosis made on the 16th.
The servant girl was discharged and left with her clothing for New York, November 16th. At a later date another case developed.
The board of health of Dover quarantined the house, vaccinated over 400 persons, closed the school and stopped all communication between Rockaway and Dover, and a trained nurse was employed and placed in charge. The quarantine of the house was not removed until December 26th, 1899.

HACKENSACK
About May 15th, 1899, a colored man named Tamer and his wife came to Hackensack from Norfolk, Virginia.
They secured lodgings with a colored family in Clay street, between Railroad avenue and Park street.
The first case of small-pox was reported June 1st by Dr. McFadden, and the local board of health took immediate action.
The house was placarded and placed under quarantine restrictions, watchmen being employed to see that no one entered or left the premises.
In the evening the patient was removed to the hospital at Oradell.
Saturday, June 17th, two more cases were reported from the same house, one being Mrs. Turner and the other Mrs. Austin, with whom she boarded.
The patients were at once removed to the hospital. One other case was reported. The house was thoroughly disinfected and every precaution taken to
limit the spread of the contagion.

HACKETTSTOWN.
November 29th, 1899, a case of small-pox was reported in the person of Milton Marlatt, aged 20 years, who was employed as a grocery clerk by Mr. James Smith.
As soon as a diagnosis was made, he was removed to his house at Mt. Bethel, Mansfield township. The store where he worked, and the persons living over it, were quarantined,
and also the house to which he was removed. General vaccination was recommended, and the school board notified to comply with the law as to vaccination of school children.
The origin of the case is not definitely known, but as he visited Newark just two weeks before, the supposition is that he was exposed to the contagion while there. No further cases were reported.
 

LONG BRANCH.
Following is a list of the cases of small-pox which have occurred in Long Branch:
1. William Weldon, a colored man, came from a house in Trenton where he had been living for some time, and on June 1st the diagnosis of small-pox was made in his case.
He was removed to the hospital.
2. Mrs. Rosa Weldon, his wife, was also sent to the hospital, June 5, suffering from the same disease.
3. A colored man by the name of Clark was found walking in the streets suffering from the disease and was removed to the hospital.
4. June 6, Elizabeth Matthews, colored, was removed to the hospital.
5. James Readdy, removed to the hospital.
6. June 7, Andrew Mead, also removed to the hospital.
Following these cases three more were reported, occurring in one of the infected houses.
All cases were removed to the infectious disease hospital, and placed under the care of Dr. Crater. The four houses from which cases had been removed were quarantined, and those living in the houses were not allowed to go out until three weeks had passed from the date of removal of the last case. The origin of the disease is directly traced to exposure of patients to infected persons at Seabright.
 

MANCHESTER, OCEAN COUNTY.
A telegram was received from Manchester stating that a case of small-pox had been discovered at that place, and requesting that an inspector be sent. Fred. Carr, a man who works in the depot at Seabright as agent, left Seabright on June 5th, and went to the house of his mother, in Manchester. He stated that while in Seabright a colored man had spent nearly two hours in the railway station, waiting for a train, and that he was in the same room with him a good part of the time. The colored man has since been removed to the hospital in Monmouth county, suffering from small-pox, and at the time he was in the station Mr. Carr noticed that he had an eruption all over his face and hands. A physician was called to see Mr. Carr on Sunday, June 11th, and was suspicious of small-pox.
The diagnosis was made June 13th, by Dr. Field, of Red Bank. The house was quarantined, the only persons living in the house being the mother and the sisters. Two brothers had been sleeping in the house and taking their meals outside, but at the time of the investigation they had left the house and were sleeping somewhere in the woods. One of them had been working on the railroad up to June 12th as baggage-master.
June 12th he was notified that his services would be no longer required. A farm-house some two miles from Manchester was hired by the local board of health for the purpose of removing patients from town. The house is well located on the road leading to Lakewood. It is situated 125 feet from the roadway, and all preparations were made for the reception of the patient. An immune was secured as nurse, and the patient was removed to the hospital on the night
of June 14th. No more cases were reported.
 

MONTCLAIR
On June 20th, the health authorities of Montclair were notified that a man by the name of Samuel Lozier, an aged colored person; was suffering from small-pox. The board of health had him removed to the poor-house farm, and erected a small building for a temporary hospital. All persons who had been exposed to the disease were vaccinated. It was stated by Mr. Leighton, the health officer, that from the 8th to the 15th of June, Lozier had worked at Great Notch for a man by the name of Croker, and that he had returned to the Great Notch for a single day since he had been sick. Paterson was visited for the purpose of meeting with the Acquackanonk township board of health and getting them to take such action as was necessary in the premises. The counsel of the board employed Dr. Leal, of
Paterson, to investigate the matter, and accompanied by an officer of this board, an investigation was made. The superintendent of the works was interviewed, and also Mr. Larossi, who has charge of the Italians employed at that point. It was learned that Lozier came to the Great Notch on June 16th, and stayed around during the morning. At noon Mr. Croker, who-lives in Montclair, needed a teamster to drive his team, and Mr. Jones, the superintendent, said that he might employ the colored man to assist him. Lozier was therefore put at work and drove the team all the afternoon of June 15th. At night he went home to Montclair with Mr. Croker and slept in the barn. Mr. Jones noticed while he was working that he had an eruption on his face. Mr. Jones states positively that Lozier did not work
the week before as his name does not appear on the time card, and he was not noticed on the grounds. Mr. Jones was requested to send Mr. Croker home if he came the next day to work, and not to allow him to come back under two weeks. Mr. Larossi stated that Lozier had not been around the Italian camp, and that there had been no exposure of his men to the disease by coming in contact with him.
Also that every Italian he had at work had been vaccinated by the health officers of the Port of New York on their arrival in this country. The superintendent of the work was requested to have a physician examine the workmen every day, and also to at once notify the health authorities if anyone was taken sick in the camp so that they might be immediately removed. No other cases were reported in Montclair.

MORRISTOWN.
December 1st, 1899, a case of small-pox in the person of Albert Huland, Race street, was reported to the local authorities, and the patient was removed to the hospital.
The house in which he lived was quarantined. The history given by the patient showed that he had visited Rockaway, and had been exposed to the disease while there.
December 14th, Mrs. Huland, D. Dupue, Sr., and John Huland were reported as having small-pox.
December 30th, David Depue, 5 years of age, and an infant child of David Depue, were reported. The infant died from the disease.
This makes a total of 6 cases up to December 31st, 1899. All of the persons reside in a house in Race street, and, with the exception of the children of Mr. Depue, were removed to the hospital. Vaccination is being extensively practiced, and the removal to hospital lessens somewhat the danger of extension of the disease.
 

NEWARK
March 14th, 1899, a case of small-pox was reported in the person of a colored woman who had recently come from the South. She had a suspicious eruption while on the steamer, and was told to go to her friends as soon as possible, as she might have small-pox. She went to Newark and the physician called to see her and made a diagnosis at once. To this case were traced all of those which afterward occurred in Newark and Orange. The total number of cases which occurred in Newark was 22. All patients were removed to the hospital and extensive vaccination effected. Early in January, 1899, a case of small-pox was reported as existing in the township, and three cases developed from exposure to the disease. Three houses were under quarantine, and one of the cases developed after the party had gone to New Haven. The exact origin of the outbreak was not traced.
Although a number of persons were exposed no other cases developed.

ORANGE.
At the special meeting of the board of health of Orange, held on March 24th, 1899, it was reported by the health officer that small-pox had broken out in that city and that two cases in the Green Family, living at 67 Hill street, and one case at Memorial Hospital, had been discovered.
According to instructions received at that meeting the common council was notified that an epidemic of smallpox was threatened and that a larger sum than that already appropriated  was necessary to stop the spread of the disease.
At a special meeting of the common council, held March 26th, 1899, a resolution was passed placing $1,000 to the credit of this board for the above purpose.
The first step taken was to quarantine the Hill street house, placing an officer in the front and one in the rear of the house. The cottage at the hospital, occupied by the small-pox patient, was also quarantined. The house in Hill street was occupied by 4 families; Green, 4 persons; Leveridge, 2 persons; Degrooth, 2 persons; Mc-Kinley, 3 persons.
An effort was made to hire houses to which the well persons of the Hill street house might be moved, so that the house could be used as a hospital, but without success. As a last resource, the East Orange authorities were appealed to, and at the ardent solicitations of health commissioner Dr. G. H. Richards, the East Orange board of health gave permission to build a pest-house on the Orange poor-farm. No time was lost in erecting a one-story structure, with a floor space of 20x40 feet, divided into 4 rooms, and to this the three patients, accompanied by a male and female nurse, were removed in the night of March 30th. The Newark board of  health allowed the use of their ambulance in removing the patients. The rooms occupied by the Green family were disinfected with a solution of dichloride of mercury and all furniture, bedding and clothing that could not be rendered safe by additional disinfection were burned and the apartments were thoroughly scrubbed and whitewashed. Dr. Walter Dodge, who was engaged to take charge of the medical part, started at once on a systematic tour of inspection and vaccination among the colored people of the city, besides attending to the patients. On April 11th, two more cases were discovered Whitfield and Lewis, both of 50 Hill street.
The same course as that pursued at 67 Hill street was followed in this case, except that a wagon and harness were bought and a horse hired to carry the patients to the pest-house. These cases were traced to the Green family, Whitfield having been a constant visitor, up to the time the cases were discovered, and Lewis was a lodger at Whitfield's. The data collected with reference to those cases showed that a large number of persons had visited the house, particularly servant girls living in East Orange. Effort was made to ascertain the names and addresses of as many of these persons as possible, and to inform the East Orange authorities of the facts. One man, living in Montclair, was found in the house, and, on communicating with the Montclair board of health, the latter requested the Orange authorities to quarantine the man until the incubation time had passed, and they to pay all costs. This was done. On April 20th Frank Shiver, a nephew of Whitfield, presented himself  at the Hill street house with a pronounced small-pox eruption on his face. t appears that this man lived with Whitfield up to April 9tb, when he removed to Newark, and finding that he had contracted the disease he returned. All his movements from the time he left until he returned to Orange were traced and the Newark authorities were notified. The patient was removed the same night. To get competent quarantine officers was a difficult task, not because there were not enough persons to do the work, but to get reliable men. The Hill street house was quarantined by two officers at the same time-from March 24th to April 1st- then the force was reduced to one man. At the hospital one man was always on guard from March 24th to March 30th, when the patient was removed to the pest-house. The pest-house was opened March 30th, and two officers at day and two at night were on duty there until April 1st.
One officer was kept on duty in the day time and two at night until April 19th, when the force was reduced to one man during the day and one at night time.
The origin of the outbreak is somewhat in doubt. The most authentic information thus far obtained is that Frank Green suffered with a light attack of varioloid, probably contracted iron his sister, Delia Green, who had come from Norfolk, Virginia, and who, as we are informed, had a rash on her face some time before Frank broke out. His sickness was attributed to mineral poison, because the man worked in a factory in Brooklyn where much paris green was used.
It is known that Frank Green stopped at the house on Hill street about two weeks before Rebecca Green was discovered with varioloid and that he had an eruption on his face, but when found seven days after quarantining 67 Hill street his face showed no signs of eruption. The three original cases were discharged as cured. Rebecca Green on April 15th, Richard Green on April 19th, and William Green on April 21st.
On April 28th three more cases were discovered at 32 Hill street. They were Mrs. Proctor and her two children, a boy and a girl.
All these were removed to the pest-house on the same day, the bedding and furniture used by them were burned, and the rooms were thoroughly disinfected and cleaned.
The inmates of the house were vaccinated. From observations made in the early part of the outbreak it was thought that the safety of the public could be guarded without the heavy expenses which a close quarantine of suspects entailed, and after consulting the sanitary committee on the subject it  was decided that the people living
in the house be placed under medical supervision instead of close quarantine. This was done. In tracing the source of these cases it was found that Mrs. Proctor had lived in Orange since November, 1898, and that the children left New Berne, N. C., on March 29th, 1899, to join their mother ; that they stopped in Norfolk, Va., on March 31st,
and reached Orange in the first week in April. From the time of their arrival until the 28th of April their movements were traced and all people who were in close contact with them were vaccinated and placed under observation. The most probable theory of the origin of the cases is that the children became infected while at Norfolk, Va., the boy having been sick for more than a week when the cases were discovered. Chas. Abbott, a suspect held here at the request of the board of health of Montclair, showed symptoms of small-pox, and was removed to the pest-house on April 29th. On the same day the quarantine placed over the suspects in this city was raised.
The pest-house was closed May 27th, 1899, and was burned, with its contents, June 14th, 1899.
 

PASSAIC CITY.
Dr. Demarest, of Passaic, on May 27th reported a suspected case of  small-pox, and asked for some one to assist him in making diagnosis. On the following day, May 28th, the diagnosis was confirmed. The name of the patient was Mrs. Mac Ponce. She was removed to the hospital Monday, May 29th. No history could be obtained showing the source of the infection. The case is one of mild varioloid. The house was quarantined and thoroughly disinfected. Up to the present time no new cases have been reported.
 

ROCKAWAY BOROUGH AND TOWNSHIP.
The following is the history of an outbreak of small-pox in the above locality, the first case being reported November 6th, 1899.
A Mr. Tuck, who lives in the borough of Rockaway, on New street, is engaged in the laundry business for persons residing in Rockaway and its vicinity. He also has furnished colored help to persons living in Dover and in Rockaway. Some weeks ago he went on a trip to Norfolk, and returned with eight colored girls for whom he had secured places. One of these girls, by the name of Maria Copeland, was taken sick upon her arrival; no physician was called, and the history given is that she had headache, fever and backache, and an eruption on her face. She recovered from the disease. After recovery she was sent to Dover as a servant in the house of Mr. P. Jenkins, of Prospect street, taking her clothing with her. Sunday, November 5th, a child living on Hibernia avenue, Rockaway township, by the
name of Jennie Blanchard, was seen by a physician. Wednesday, November 8th, diagnosis was made of varioloid. November 12th, a girl that had been brought from the south by Mr. Tuck, and who had been at his home while the first case mentioned was suffering from varioloid, and who had gone to service at Mr. Beach's house in Rockaway, was taken ill, and was returned to the Tuck house suffering from varioloid. It will be seen from the above history that the colored girl first taken ill at Mr. Tuck's, and the one upon whom the diagnosis was made November 12th at Mr. Beach's, are intimately connected, but the case of Jennie Blanchard was more difficult to trace.
After looking up the history carefully it was ascertained that Mrs. Blanchard was accustomed to assist the Tucks in washing, and that Mr. Tuck owed her a certain sum of money and in partial payment for her services he sent her a lounge which was placed in Mr. Blanchard's home, and exactly two weeks afterward the daughter was taken with the disease. The first three cases occurring in Rockaway township and borough are, therefore, traced to the infection brought from Norfolk. The action taken by the authorities is as follows:
Mr. Tuck's house, where the colored girl is recovering, is under strict quarantine with guard. The house of Mr. Blanchard, located in the township, is likewise carefully guarded.
The Blanchard child died Friday evening, November 17th, and the body was immediately buried. Mr. Beach's family was quarantined and the house has been fumigated with sulphur, but the room in which the girl was taken sick is still locked up, and, although a large quantity of sulphur has been burned in the room, her clothing still remains as she left it.
The Blanchard girl had been in attendance upon school in mornings, but had not been to school for one week before the time of her illness. The school has been closed and free vaccination has been offered to the children. It was suggested that the school-house should be thoroughly cleaned. Over 800 vaccinations have been made and this will be continued until, as nearly as possible, every-one in the borough and township have been protected in this way. Following the first case in the Blanchard family, there have been five other cases of a mild type and all have recovered. The infected houses have been thoroughly disinfected and up to December 20th no new cases were reported.

SEABRIGHT.
On the evening of May 25th, a telegram was received from Mayor Hall Packer, of Seabright, requesting that a visit should be made at once to the borough, and that a few cases of varioloid had been discovered. Arrangement was made to meet with Dr. Fields at Sea bright at 10:30 Friday morning—the day following.
On May 24th, a telegram was sent to Dr. Mitchell requesting him to go to Seabright. Upon reaching Seabright, the following facts were ascertained: 
In a house on the corner of South street, and opposite the icehouse, James Branch and his wife live with their two children, and in a small house in the rear two brothers, Will and John, and a boy by the name of Charles Jenkins. About the tenth of April, John Branch returned from the South and passed through Norfolk, stopping there over night.  Two weeks after his arrival in Seabright, about the 24th or 25th of  April, he showed signs of an eruption, and about ten days or two weeks after his brother Will showed the same symptoms, and later still the wife of James Branch showed the same eruption. Charles Jenkins also had the eruption. At the present time James Branch, who does not know whether he has had the disease or not, is working away from home, and the two brothers, Will and John, have been working around Seabright. The boy, Charles Jenkins, was found at the house, and showed the eruption quite clearly, although the appearances indicate that he is about recovered. The wife of James Branch shows the eruption very clearly. Across the street, and over the livery-stable owned by Irvin & Herbert, Andrew Ballard was found thoroughly broken out with the disease. In this house are his wife and one child. A colored man by the name of George Rand is also supposed to have had the disease and to have recovered.
Dr. Fields confirmed the diagnosis of varioloid, and arrangements were made with him to take charge of the epidemic for the borough, and to make the necessary house-to-house inspection and vaccinations. A guard was immediately placed over the house, and an arrangement was made with the Long Branch board of health by which the infected persons should be taken to the hospital owned by the Long Branch authorities, and that Dr. Crater, of Oceanport, should be charged with the care of the cases at the hospital. It was suggested that a house-to-house inspection should immediately he started, and that all who had been exposed to the disease should be vaccinated. An arrangement was made by which Mr. Bowen, of Asbury Park, was to come to Seabright the following day and supervise the disinfection of the infected premises. The board of health appeared willing to take any action necessary, and the work of disinfection and vaccination was arranged to take place on the following morning.
On May 27th we were informed that three patients had been taken to the hospital, namely, Andrew Ballard, Charles Jenkins and Mrs. James Branch, and also that during the night they had escaped from the guard and were roaming about the township. The authorities at Long Branch and at various places surrounding the isolation hospital were notified, and parties were immediately sent to arrest the patients, and return them at once to the hospital. Late that afternoon Mrs. Branch was captured at Branchport, and the other two patients were found in the woods and returned to the hospital, and the guard was increased, so that they might not again escape. While in Seabright word was received that another boy, by the name of Louis, had for four or five days been loafing around the bath-houses, in the rear of the Peninsula House. In company with an officer a search was made for him, and he was found and immediately taken to the Branch house, and from thence to the hospital. He was thoroughly broken out with the small-pox eruption. Dr. Fields examined the houses and vaccinated all the persons in the block in which the disease originated. Vaccination was carried on rapidly, and it was suggested that all school children should at once be vaccinated. It became necessary for the board of health to purchase a horse and wagon for transporting patients and for carrying provisions to the isolation hospital. May 29th it was found, upon visiting Seabright. that everything was progressing favorably, that there were no new cases, and that infected premises have been thoroughly disinfected.
Will Branch, one of those who had had the disease and recovered, and who had run away from Seabright, returned and was placed in one of the rooms in the small building in the rear of the James Branch place. After his clothing had been disinfected he was released. He was placed in the only room which had not been disinfected.

WOODBRIDGE TOWNSHIP.
A telephonic communication was received on December 21st from
Dr. Spencer, of Woodbridge, in reference to a suspicious case, and on the same day Dr. Cladek, of Rahway, visited the patient, and diagnosis of email-pox was made. An inspection was made December 22d.
The house where the persons having the disease reside is located north of the Iselin depot. It is a farm-house placed about 75 feet back from the road. It is occupied by two families. Wm. Clarkson lives on the east side of the house, and his family consists of his wife, his sister-in-law, his brother-in-law, aged 11 years, and a hired man named Mathews. Mr. and Mrs. Emmet occupy the west side of the house. The history of the cases is as follows:
Early in November Mrs. Clarkson went to Newark, and, while shopping, noticed a woman in a store who stood next to her and had an eruption on her face.
Exactly 14 days after her return a slight eruption appeared, but no attention was paid to it, and she recovered without a suspicion as to the nature of the disease. About the first of December the husband was indisposed, and a similar eruption appeared on his face. He had possibly 100 pimples, as he described them, on his face and body. Both husband and wife had been vaccinated.
December 12th the sister-in-law and the man Mathews were taken sick and treated for a few days, but on Thursday, December 20th, the consultation was held, and there was no doubt, as Mathews has the disease in an aggravated form, and Miss Moore is a well-marked case. The boy was taken ill with varioloid on December 27th. The family have had visitors from time to time during their illness, and Mr. Clarkson has been threshing at different places and carting logs. The local board of health placed Dr. Spencer in charge.  The house is quarantined. Parties known to have had exposure were visited and vaccination suggested, and the school trustees were requested to have all children vaccinated, as the boy has been in regular attendance at the school up to last week. On account of the free exposure of so many to the disease the probabilities are that other cases will be reported.

Resume—The following list shows the places where small-pox occurred during the year ending December 31st, 1899, and the number of cases in each instance, together with the total number of earlier cases which had existed and recovered before the authorities were aware of the presence of the disease are included in the list in several Bloomfield, 2 ; Dover, 3 ; Hackensack, 4 ; Hackettstown, 1; Long Branch, 9; Manchester township, 1; Montclair, 1; Morristown, 6; Newark, 22; North Bergen township, 4; Orange, 10; Rockaway Borough, 3; Rockaway township, 6; Seabright, 16 ; Woodbridge, 5. Total, 93.
 

DIPHTHERIA.

There have been several instances already recorded in this State where epidemics of diphtheria have occurred as the result of infected milk-supply. An outbreak which occurred several years ago at Hightstown, Mercer county, was most direct evidence that the greatest amount of care should be exercised by local boards of health to secure immediate reports of all cases of communicable diseases located on dairy premises. The Legislature has given the State board of health power to at once stop the sale and transportation of milk from infected premises, and during the year the power has been exercised whenever typhoid fever or diphtheria has been reported in the families of dairymen.
The result of such action in each instance has been to check the spread of the disease. The record of an outbreak of diphtheria which occurred in Plainfield, and in which the origin of the disease was traced to infected milk, is as follows:

PLAINFIELD.
Under date of July 14th, 1899, a telegram was received from Plainfield requesting that investigation should be made of an outbreak of diphtheria which was suspected to have been caused by contaminated milk. It was ascertained that the following cases had been reported, and that all of them had been using the milk from a dairy of a Mr. Schenck, who lives near New Market:
July 13th, Margery Leland;
July 12th, Helen Gilbert;
July 13th, Ellen Grover;
July 13th, Allen Squires;
July 13th, Monroe L. Squires;
July 13th, Grace R. Squires;
July 14th, Henry Uhrig;
July 18th, Helen Johnston;
July 19th, James Borrowman;
July 20th, Elbert Morris.
In addition to the cases cited above, several cases had been reported in North Plainfield as using the milk from the same dairy. An inspection was made of  the dairy and the general conditions noted. It was found that the water from the wells on the premises was unfit for potable purposes, chemical examinations having been made by the Plainfield board of health. Upon examining the two children of Mr. Schenck, one of  them a boy three or four years of age named Elmer, and the other a girl named May, it was found that there was a little redness around the nares in each instance. The father stated that the boy had run a rye straw into his nose and that the nose had bled somewhat, and
that since that time he had shown some irritation, but that he had not been at all sick and that there was nothing the matter with him. Careful examination of the daughter led to the suspicion that there might be nasal diphtheria present, and specimens were taken from the nostrils and sent to the laboratory at Princeton, and the report received stated that
Klebs-Loffler bacilli were present. The premises were promptly quarantined and suggestions were made to Mr. Schenck in reference to the obtaining of a new water-supply, and an entire separation of the collection of milk from the household operations. Explicit instructions were given in regard to matters of detail. Mr. Schenck supplies 50 families in Plainfield and 7 in North Plainfield. The epidemic which started in Plainfield was put entirely under control by the stopping of milk from the dairy, and the quarantine was maintained on the premises of Mr. Schenck until removed by the secretary in September, 1899, after a new water-supply had been introduced, and the premises put in a sanitary condition

WOODBRIDGE TOWNSHIP.
The following telegram was received January 16th, 1899:  Dr. A. C. Hunt
—We are advised that there is diphtheria in the family of the operator and agent at Colonia. I would be glad if you would go there and advise me, if necessary, to close the station to the public. An early reply will oblige me. R. M. Patterson, Supt. Pennsylvania Railroad." In response to the above an inspection was made of the premises on the afternoon of January 16th, and the history is as follows :
The station agent is Mr. F. Donahue. His family consists of his wife and six children. Four of the children have been ill. One of them seen by Dr. Cladek, January 16th, had diphtheria. It was ascertained that the children were accustomed to play in the waiting-room of the station, and that no precautions whatever had been
taken to keep the children isolated. The depot is also used as the post-office for this locality. The following telegram was sent to Mr. R. M. Patterson, Superintendent.
" I think it best to close depot to the public for a few days. As soon as boy is well the premises  should be disinfected.''
In accordance with the above, the depot was at once closed to the public, and a temporary telegraph station and post-office erected on the platform. On February 2d a notice was received from Dr. Cladek that the premises were ready for disinfection, and as the Woodbridge authorities, within whose jurisdiction the premises are situated, are not properly equipped for the work, an employee of the State Board of  health was requested to disinfect the premises, and, in accordance with instructions, the work was completed February 4th, and the following day the depot was opened to the public.

TYPHOID FEVERS.

In two instances during the year prohibition has been placed upon the sale of milk from premises where typhoid fever existed, or where a number of cases of the disease pointed to infection of milk in an indirect manner. The history of cases occurring in Orange, and traced to a dairy in Hilton, Essex county, is here detailed.

HILTON, ESSEX COUNTY.
A telegram was received July 4th from Mr. Schleur, health officer of Orange, stating that four cases of typhoid fever had occurred in Orange, and that the milk supply in each case had been obtained from a dairyman by the name of James K. Looby. By inquiry at a later date, eight additional cases, occurring in South Orange and Orange, were found to have used milk from the same dairy. July 5th, Mr. Looby's dairy was inspected, and an examination made of the premises.
Mr. Looby has been in the dairy business for some 30 years. He supplies customers in South Orange, Mount Rose and Orange. He sells on an average 200 quarts of milk a day. His farm is located about one mile south of Hilton on what is known as Bernards street, or road. He has on the premises 60 cattle. The water-supply for the premises is obtained from a well located south of the barn. The well is 34 feet in depth. The water-supply for domestic purposes is also obtained from the same well. The well is located on a slight knoll, and the drainage is away from it on every side. The hog-pen is located northeast of the well and at a distance of about 130 feet. The cow-stables are west of the well and about 35 feet away. The manure thrown out from the stables is at least 100 feet from the well, but at the time of the inspection, all of the manure had been removed. The privy-vault is at least 150 feet away from the well in a southwesterly direction, and is located on a much lower level. The well could be contaminated from the surface, but none of the usual sources of contamination are located near enough to it to render the water suspicious. The water-supply for washing utensils and cans is obtained from this well, but the house where the utensils are kept is at least 60 feet from the well. The utensils are first washed in water at the well, and then taken to the milk-house and
scalded out with water and then dried. There is no sterilizing of cans, pails or dippers, except by boiling water. The quantity of the milk produced each day is 200 quarts. Those engaged in milking are compelled to wash their hands before milking the cows. The night's milk is cooled by being taken to a spring, which is located at least a quarter of a mile south of the barn and in a pasture lot. The spring is a small one, but a small constant stream of water flows through the tank in which the milk is cooled. The night's milk is allowed to stand in the spring-house during the night. The morning's milk is cooled in the tank by the well at the barn. Twenty-four bottles of milk are put up each day in the milk-room near the house. No ice is used for cooling purposes. There are eleven persons in Mr. Looby's family. The family consisting of Mr. Looby and his wife, four sons and five daughters. Two men are employed on the premises. One, a colored man, has worked for Mr. Looby nine years, and the other, a Hungarian, nine months. Neither of them are married. There has been no sickness whatever in the family in over a year. Dr. Runyon, of South Orange, is the family physician. As far as could be ascertained from a careful survey of the premises it would seem that the only way in which the milk could be contaminated would be by the well-water. The water from the well was examined chemically and pronounced unfit for potable use. July 12th the sale and transportation of milk collected on the
premises was prohibited, and the dairy was removed to another farm, and the use of milk there from continued under satisfactory conditions. August 24th the restriction placed upon the sale of milk from the premises of Mr. Looby was removed. No further cases were reported.

 

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