Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 January 1894 — Disease Spread by Funeral Flowers. [ARTICLE]

Disease Spread by Funeral Flowers.

Two years ago a young lady died in New York of diphtheria and her remains were sent to her home at Madalin, Dutchess County, for burial. On the casket when it reached the village there were several floral tributes. The flowers composing them were distributed among the children of the Sunday-school class. In this manner the disease was spread through the village and all the neighboring village of Tivoli. It has never been wiped out. For two years diphtheria has prevailed in that vicinity, causing many deaths, and of late deaths from the contagion have grown so numerous that the people are alarmed and an effort is being made to wipe out the disease. .