The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-04-10

MARINE HosPITAL, QUARANTINE, Z
STATEN ISLAND, April 3, 1851. {

Sir.--My attention having been called to ma
licious article in the Tribune, of the 9Th inst, re
journal, together with the subjoined statement.
Respectfully, your obed't servant
Physician Of Marine Hospital.
:. From the Tribune of the 9Th April, 1s5Il
MORTALITY At STATE IssrrTrTross on Staten IsLAsD.-
Inc number of persons discharged In March from the
Marine Hospital under the charge Of DR.. Campbell
stewart was 95T the number Of deaths 49,. ratio OF
ortaity over IL cent The number Of patients dis
charged from seaans Retreat in 1850 was 2I25; num-
per o. deaths lo2 ratio Of mortality less than per
me inter institution under the charge Of DR. Board
From the above statement il IL made TO appesr
that the proportion Of deaths at the Marine Hospi-
Ia, mas peeh nearly three times as great at an
other similar establishment on Staten Island.
While exonerating, which cheerfully do know-
ing the contemplate source whence the article ema-
nates), the worthy and skillful physician Of the
Seaman's Retreat, whose name is associated with
my own in the above article from all pre-knowledgc
OF, participation in, unjust and unfair state
ment, deem it incumbent upon me, in justice to
myself and the assistants associated with me, to
correct the false impressions which attempted to
be made upon the public mind at a moment when
important matters connected with the Marine Hos
ptal under the consideration Of the Legislature
In the first place, then, it will be perceived that
different periods have been selected by the author
mortalty-that of the Seamans Retreat is calcu-
lated for the year 1850, and that of the Marine
Hospital for the month of March of the present
year. The mortality is also calculated in an
erroneous manner. Instead of the proportion of
deaths being given to the whole number treated,
the ratio is estimated upon the basis Of discharges
and deaths.
Apart from these considerations, however, the
results of treatment in the two institutions cannot
be compared with any fairness. The one the Sea-
mans Retreat, is general hospital for the recep-
ton of sailors sick Of all diseases, including surgical
cases. and large proportion of syphilitic cases. the
rtoIf Of hi latta
cent, according to experience in foreign hospitals.
and in our own City Hospital, where great numbers
arc received.
The Marine Hospital on the other hand is re.
strcted by law to the accommodation of persons af
fected with contagious and infectious diseases, and
all cases Of small por and pariolom sent from the
"Rdreot" TO the "nare Hospital, to be there heafed
1t is generally admitted by medical men, that the
mortality in quarantine institution devoted to
the reception of contagious diseases and of persons
recently arrived from sea-often sent on shore in
dying state-should be much greater than in any
other hospitals, except those appropriated for sick
children, in which the mortality is always heavy
hence, should the proportion OF deaths Mt the Qua
rantine Hospital exceed that of other institutions,
1t should occasion no surprise, nor should it reflect
upon the medical treatment. But is this the ca sc
in reality and is the mortality at the Marine Hos
ptal greater than that of other hospitals There is
an old and true saying that Figures will not lie,
and it is by means of these that shall show that
the success of medical treatment at the Marine
Hospital during the time that it has been under the
charge of the present medical officers, will bear fa
vorabe comparison with that of the other large in
situations OF cur city.
The New York City Hospital and the Bellevue
Hospital are known to be as we'll managed as any
similar establishment in the country, and the medi-
cal gentlemen connected with them deservedly oc-
cupy the highest position in their profession Hence
they are selected as proper institutions to be com.
pared, in so far as comparison is practicable, with
| the Marine Hospital.
During the period from April, when the present
officers were appointed. to December, 1919, the
whole number Of patients under treatment ut the
Marine Hospital was 3,2l5. The per centage of
deaths, including Us deaths from cholera, was
about l5i per cent; and the per cenage, excluding
the cholera eases and Deaths but including ship-fe-
yer, Uyphus) small pox, and all other Diseases was
less than II per cent at Bellevue Hospital the
general mortality, excluding also the deaths from
cholera was little over IL per cent The mortali-
pared with the mortality at the Marine Hospital,
because OF the large proportion Of general and mild
diseases there treated the numbers of syrhilitic
cases, among which, as already stated, the deaths
are only about per cent and, also because Of the
| number of surgical cases which die within few
hours of admission. and which it would be unfair to
| incudc in the rate of mortality. The deaths at
Bellevue and at the City Hospital are perhapsfewer
| in proportion TO the numbers treated than at any
other large general hospitals. At the latter, til,
general per centage, including sudden deaths ant
coroners cases, is about III and excluding these
only about ! per cent. The results in partcula
and the following table shows the mortality at tn
three institutions, in disease which is the prevail
ing one at the Quarantine, and more fatal ever
| than small pox, viz :-typhus fever The officia
| TYrus CASES TREATED.
| NapJsr. Deaths Ratio of Mortality
S Gi'.i Hospital 'iG,;,,, ga g IS
| From the above figures. it will be seen that the
mortality at the Marine Hospital, from typhus fe-
YER at least, bears favorable comparison with that
OF other hospitals. The number of cases of small
pOx treated from April To Dec, 1919 at the Quaran-
tine Hospital, l56, and the deaths y, giving
mortality of less than per cent, AT the Small
Pox Hospital on B!ackwelps Island, the mortality
was, in ISIS, i64 per cent, and in lSi9, 1913 PEI
| cent.
Not having a. yet hsd access to The reports Of the
otherinstitutons for 1850, no comparison can b
| made OF the results Of treatment in them.
At the Marine Hospital, the number of patient.
treated in 1850, was 3,ill, of whom there died 10
| giving mortality OF II Id per cent? among the
| 3,il under treatment. there were 1913 cases o
| typhus fever, and ls5 of small pox,
From the first of January Of the present year, e
| the 3lst of March, the number Of patients admit
ted to,and under treatment at,the Marine Hospital
| has been 2,sI6, and the deaths 81, which gives
mortality OF less than IL per cent; under the mos
uDfayorabc circumstances, too, which could well b,
| imagined; with hospitals crowded 10 such degree
by population at one time Of 20, scarcely {,
| afford fair chance for recovery: with want Of ne
| commodation to an extent which rendered it neces
| sary to place two persons in one bed, and TO Us,
damp and badly ventilated store houses for the sick
which occasoned the development Of n serious ana
fatal diarrhoa. to which many fell victims. Among
the 3il deaths, too, there included IL children
under ~ years Of age, and ~ of persons who died
| within u hours after admission, and before they
could be brought under the influence of medical
| treatment.
| Having exhibited a plain statement Of facts
| which viii, | hope, correct the false impression
| which was attempted to be created, through the
| columns Of the Tribune, in regard to the Marine
Hospital, the main object of this article is accom-
| plishcd. IL is deemed proper, however, in view o
the important interests Involved, Ia state for tb,
information of the public that, as at present al
minstrel, their quarantine Is of no avail whateve
to protect the city from contagon. small pox an,
! typhus fever have not been 20 prevalent in New
| FORK for many years az during the past season
| vessels arriving with the former disease on board
| are often permitted TO proceed to the city afte