Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 August 1890 — A TERRIBLY AFFLICTED FAMILY. [ARTICLE]

A TERRIBLY AFFLICTED FAMILY.

Four Deaths in Five Bays by Diphtheria. On Friday last a five year old son of Mrs. .John Zimmer, widow of the date John Zimmer, died of diphtheria, at the home of Wm. Zerdan, Mrs. Zimmer’s father, a mile or two west of town. Sunday morning an infant sister of the little boy’s, aged about 12 months, died from the same disease. On Monday the dread infection claimed two more of its helpless victims from the same family, In the forenoon a girl of about 8 years old, and in the afternoon another girl of about G-£ years old. Another, and the sole surviving one of Mrs. Zimmer’s children, a little girl of 2| or three years, is sick with the disease, but with some chances for recovery. Three of Mr. Zerdan’s daughters also have it, Maggie and Teresa, at home and Mrs. John Healy, in Rensselaer. At Mr. Zerdan’s place, there is still another case, a girl of about 12 years, a daughter of Matt Yeager, of Milroy tp., who attended the funeral of the little boy last Saturday, and left his daughter at Mr. Zerdan’s. This last case is very dangerous, but Mr. Zerdan’s daughters are in a more hopeful condition. The origin of the disease seems to be a mystery. The first s sickness in the family was still another of Mr. Zerdan’s daughters, who became sick with tonsilitis, while working for Mrs. Ralph Fendig in; town, and who easily recovered. The sickness of the little boy followed, and even in his case the symptoms indicated nothing but tonsilitis, and not until other cases followed did unmistakable symptoms of diphtheria appear. The funeral of the little boy was held Saturday, at the Catholic church, and there is some danger of the further spread of the disease, on account of the public funeral. The other 3 have been buried privately. Mrs. Zimmer, the unfortunate lady who lias thus just lost four of her five children and is in considerable danger of losing the other, lost her husband only about six weeks ago, from sun-stroke, in Chicago. The latest reports from the stricken families, received yesterday morning, from their physicians, indicated that all the cases now existing arc on the tolerably sure road to recovery, excepting Mr. Zerdan’s daughter Teresa, who is still very bad. Mrs. Zimmer, mother of the dead children, is having a light attack of the disease. So ,far there are no indications of the further spread of the disease, and there are therefore grounds for hoping that its ravages will now be stayed.